Wendy's
The world’s third-largest burger chain, an Ohio company whose 1970 pick-up window pushed fast food toward the drive-thru.
26 figures on Wendy's, drawn from 4 Modern MBA case studies.
The figures
US dollars6
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average annual revenue per store, in millions | $2.1M | 4th of 8 · top $3.9M | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average sales per store by chain, 2024, in millions | $2.08M | 3rd of 6 · top $3.88M | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average annual payment in rent and royalties per franchisee, 2024 | $111,729 | 5th of 6 · top $373,737 | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average order size by chain and concept | $14 | 7th of 9 · top $30 | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average price for a double cheeseburger and fries across Los Angeles | $12.99 | 8th of 9 · top $20.58 | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Price of a single cookie, 2024 | $1.20 | 7th of 8 · top $5.77 | Why Crumbl won't last |
Percentages19
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average store-level operating margin by chain and concept | 16% | 5th of 9 · top 25% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Restaurant-level operating margins across the industry in 2010 | 15.2% | 6th of 8 · top 26.6% | Why Chipotle got so much worse |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2016 | 15.1% | 1st of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2014 | 14.7% | 2nd of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2018 | 10.7% | 3rd of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2024 | 9.1% | 4th of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2021 | 9% | 1st of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2020 | 4% | 2nd of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2022 | 4% | 2nd of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2023 | 4% | 2nd of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2015 | 3% | 5th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2019 | 3% | 5th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2014 | 2% | 7th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2016 | 2% | 7th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2017 | 2% | 7th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2018 | 1% | 10th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| US same-store sales growth · 2024 | 1% | 10th of 11 · top 9% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2020 | −1.6% | 5th of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
| Average restaurant-level operating margin · 2022 | −5.7% | 6th of 6 · top 15.1% | Why fast food can't make a good burger |
Durations1
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Months a restaurant must be open before it counts as comparable | 15 mo | 5th of 11 · top 24 mo | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
Case studies covering Wendy's
Case study — Food & beverageWhy Chipotle got so much worseA weekly staple became a byword for small portions and high prices in under ten years. Here is what broke.10 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy fast food can't make a good burgerMcDonald's makes more from rent than from food. That is why it can't fix the burger — and why four LA independents can.13 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so goodThe sandwich came from a decade of R&D discipline its new owners inherited and did not build. That is the problem.14 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy Crumbl won't lastMrs. Fields had its decade too. Crumbl store margins fell from 30% to 10% while corporate went from $4M to $152M.15 min read