Wendy’s closes Colorado Springs locations – Colorado Springs Gazette

At least three Wendy’s locations in Colorado Springs have permanently closed.

Wendy’s restaurants at 222 N. Wahsatch Ave., at the southwest corner of East Platte and Wahsatch avenues downtown, and at 3036 W. Colorado Ave., between 30th and 31st streets in Old Colorado City, were closed Friday with notices posted on windows at both buildings.

The Dublin, Ohio-based hamburger fast-food chain confirmed the closures by email on Friday.

Wendy’s shuttered the restaurants as part of a broad U.S. turnaround plan called Project Fresh, “which includes system optimization as a key pillar to ensure we have the right restaurant footprint in each market,” the company said in a written statement.

A Gazette employee observed late Friday afternoon another location at 1104 E. Fillmore St. has also permanently closed.

“While these locations have closed, Wendy’s continues to maintain a strong presence across Colorado Springs and surrounding communities. These actions are focused on strengthening restaurant performance across the Wendy’s system, enhancing the customer experience and positioning the brand for sustainable, long‑term growth,” the company said in its email.

Wendy’s did not respond to a question from The Gazette asking if more local closures are anticipated.

The company announced its broad reduction plan in early November.

In a Nov. 7 quarterly earnings call, interim Chief Executive Officer Ken Cook told investors the company planned to close a “mid single-digit” percentage of its then roughly 6,000 U.S. locations, USA Today reported. During the call, one investor estimated about 300 locations nationwide could close.

In a Feb. 13 earnings call, Cook said Wendy’s had closed 28 restaurants in the fourth quarter of 2025 as part of the previously announced downsizing, according to USA Today.

Wendy’s is not the only fast-casual concept to shutter several locations across Colorado Springs in recent months. Sonic Drive-In, known for its drive-in model that uses curbside speakers to place orders, closed several local restaurants last year, The Gazette reported in July.

American businessman Dave Thomas founded the international food chain in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio. Wendy’s is known for serving square hamburger patties on round buns, its sea salt fries and the Frosty, the brand’s signature soft ice cream mix.

According to its website, Wendy’s has more than 6,200 locations, including over 450 in Canada and nearly 5,800 in the U.S. There are 118 Wendy’s locations in Colorado, with 13 operating in the greater Colorado Springs area, the website shows.