Wendy's Builds Upon Global Next Gen Restaurant Design with New Kitchen Innovation

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Aug 15, 2023, 10:00 ET

Created for the digital age, first Wendy's Global Next Gen restaurants open and new high-capacity kitchen design finalized

DUBLIN, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wendy's Company announced today the opening of the first Global Next Gen restaurants, while also finalizing a new Global Next Gen High-Capacity Kitchen design option for the highest customer demand. Both digital-first designs were created to enhance customer, crew and franchisee experiences, accelerating growth across Wendy's^® global restaurant footprint.

The first Wendy’s® restaurants featuring the Global Next Gen design standard are now open, accelerating global growth by enhancing customer, crew and franchisee experiences through design and technology innovations. The new Wendy’s restaurant operated by Meritage Hospitality Group is now open in Edmond, Okla.

Wendy’s® restaurants featuring the Global Next Gen design standard include Self-order kiosks, conveniently located passthrough order pick-up shelving, and dedicated parking for mobile order pick-up help to create a more convenient experience for digital-first customers. The new Wendy’s restaurant operated by Wenspok Companies is now open in Great Bend, Kan.

The Wendy's Company has finalized the Global Next Gen High-Capacity Kitchen design standard for high-volume restaurants, featuring a new dual-sided kitchen layout and increased equipment capacity for greater order throughput.

Since unveiling the Global Next Gen restaurant design standard less than one year ago, the first Wendy's Global Next Gen restaurants are now open in Kansas and Oklahoma, with more than 200 Global Next Gen restaurants slated to open through 2024. Wendy's Global Next Gen restaurants feature a sleek and modern design with an optimized layout and next-generation technology to deliver more Wendy's to more people with an emphasis on convenience, speed and accuracy across drive-thru, dine-in and digital order pick-up.

"The Global Next Gen future-forward design unlocks 400 times the capacity for digital orders, accelerating the System's digital growth," said Wendy's President, International & Chief Development Officer Abigail Pringle. "By bringing Global Next Gen from cutting-edge blueprints to successful openings in less than one year, Wendy's global structure is enabling System-wide expansion optimized to the digital age."

For restaurants with the highest customer demand, Wendy's developed a new Global Next Gen High-Capacity Kitchen, which is estimated to deliver nearly a 50% increase in kitchen output capacity compared to the Global Next Gen standard. The new high-capacity kitchen leverages the Global Next Gen design, with the added benefits of a dual-sided kitchen layout and increased equipment capacity:

Kitchen Throughput: Dual-sided kitchen design features state-of-the-art equipment and layout to maximize kitchen capacity, providing crew members with the tools they need to deliver exceptional quality efficiently, including additional sandwich production areas, dedicated space for digital orders and more prep area.
Operational Efficiencies: Reduced travel distances for crew members with strategically placed front counter, drive-thru and expanded storage capacity to enhance overall operational flow while improving crew comfort and speed of service.

The Global Next Gen High-Capacity Kitchen design standard incorporates Global Next Gen restaurant innovations to meet shifting customer preferences, including increasing digital order capacity:

Streamlined Ordering: Self-order kiosks, conveniently located passthrough order pick-up shelving, and dedicated parking for mobile order pick-up help to create a more convenient experience for digital-first customers.
Delivery Optimizations: A dedicated delivery pick-up window and parking spaces improve restaurant traffic flow and overall convenience for delivery partners.
Technology Integration: Next generation technology enables a fast, frictionless experience for restaurant teams to handle more digital orders.

"The new high-capacity kitchen design maximizes kitchen throughput for restaurants with the highest volume using Global Next Gen design innovation as the foundation for success," said Pringle. "We are excited to harness both design and technology to unlock digital and global growth to meet the demands of our customers today and tomorrow."

Want to learn more about the latest Global Next Gen advancements? Head to The Square Deal for a Q&A with Abigail Pringle, Wendy's President, International & Chief Development Officer.

About Wendy's

Wendy's^® was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe^®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Wendy's is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty^® dessert. The Wendy's Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption^® and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids^® program, which seeks to find a loving, forever home for every child waiting to be adopted from the North American foster care system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across approximately 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on X and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.