Wendy’s Closing 100s Of Stores: Here’s What’s Closing In Illinois

You’ve probably noticed a growing trend in the restaurant business over the last couple of years.

Chains announcing plans to close “underperforming locations” while insisting the move will strengthen the company overall. Well, Wendy’s is definitely one of them.

The burger giant recently announced plans to close between 5% and 6% of its US restaurants during the first half of 2026. With nearly 6,000 locations nationwide, that means roughly 300 to 350 Wendy’s restaurants could disappear this year. Company officials say the closures are aimed at trimming weak-performing stores so franchise owners can focus on locations with stronger sales and better long-term growth potential.

We've heard all that before, but what does it mean to Illinois and Wisconsin Wendy's locations?

Wendy's Says These Closures Are Part Of An Effort Called "Project Fresh"

The company is trying to rebound from declining sales, changing customer habits, and the same higher food and labor costs that have battered much of the restaurant industry. Despite their shutdowns, Wendy’s also plans to open new restaurants in stronger markets and continue promoting value meals like its Biggie Bag deals.

Illinois appears to be one of the harder-hit states so far.

Reports circulating online indicate our state has seen a net loss of about 18 Wendy’s locations since late 2025. While Wendy’s has not released a complete official closure list, several Illinois closures or rumored closures have been tied to the Chicago and Rockford areas. 174 locations are still operating throughout Illinois.

Wisconsin residents are also watching this situation closely. Wendy’s currently operates more than 50 locations across the state, including restaurants in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Janesville, Racine, and Eau Claire. So far, however, the company has not confirmed which Wisconsin restaurants (if any) are on the chopping block.

You've Also Probably Noticed That Wendy's Is Far From Being The Only One Doing This

Beyond Wendy's, there are quite a few major chains either actively closing locations or announcing plans to trim “underperforming” restaurants in 2026:

• Pizza Hut is planning to close around 250 U.S. locations as part of its “Hut Forward” restructuring effort.
• Papa Johns is expected to close roughly 300 North American restaurants by the end of 2027, with most closures happening this year.
• Denny's has already shut down dozens of restaurants and previously announced plans to close up to 150 weaker-performing stores.
• Red Robin has been trimming locations as part of a turnaround strategy, with around 70 total closures projected.
• Noodles & Company is continuing a multi-year downsizing effort and expected to close another 30-35 restaurants.
• Jack in the Box is reportedly planning to close between 50 and 100 restaurants while trying to improve profitability.
• Subway continues shrinking its U.S. footprint after hundreds of closures over the last year.
• Applebee's is expecting another round of closures while experimenting with combo Applebee’s/IHOP locations.
• TGI Fridays continues to struggle after bankruptcy-related closures and widespread shutdowns.
• Red Lobster is still recovering from bankruptcy restructuring and has closed more than 100 restaurants.
• And Smokey Bones is now nothing more than a pile of smokey ruins, with all locations closed.