Wendy’s franchisee with hundreds of locations across 15 states files for bankruptcy

(NEXSTAR) – A Wendy’s franchisee that operates 314 of the fast food company’s restaurants in 15 states announced Friday that it will be filing for bankruptcy.

Meritage Hospitality Group, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced in a news release that it was voluntarily filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a bid to, in part, “strengthen its balance sheet.”

The news comes months after the company announced it would close 60 locations to boost its performance in 2026.

Meritage also owns one Bojangles and five “independently branded concepts,” but those ventures were not enough to offset the financial struggles of its Wendy’s stores.

“Because the substantial majority of Meritage’s restaurant portfolio operates under Wendy’s brand, those system-wide pressures have had a significant impact on the Company’s financial position,” the company said in the release.

Amid soaring beef costs , Wendy’s has reported same-store sales losses for six straight quarters, CNBC reports.

Meritage owns Wendy’s locations in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

The company, which made no mention of any closure plans, says it anticipates maintaining normal restaurant operations during the restructuring process, and “will continue to serve guests every day, and its team members remain the heart of this business.”

A spokesperson from Wendy’s corporate headquarters gave Nexstar the following statement Friday:

Our focus remains on serving our customers, supporting our franchise system, and strengthening the long-term health of the brand. We partner closely with franchisees that are experiencing challenges to support them and evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis to identify the best and most sustainable path forward.