Did Dave Thomas have a doppelganger in Europe? Don’t go anywhere,
because we’re about to explore why Wendy’s has been missing in the EU for so long.
Europeans may be snooty when American fast-food restaurants are involved, but it hasn't stopped
some of our biggest fast-food chains from crossing the Atlantic. This would explain why familiar
names like Subway, McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut have made it to the ranks of the top 500 European
franchises. But the reason why Wendy's doesn't have any locations in the EU might surprise you.
Amid the Starbucks, Domino's, and Dunkin' restaurants,
there is one neon sign that is noteworthy simply because it isn't on the landscape.
Wendy's absence deprives potentially homesick Americans of the pleasure of
enjoying their Frostys and Baconators when they are far from home.
If you're in the Netherlands, you might choose to disprove the lack of Wendy's
by going online. You might discover that there is a Wendy's Fish & Chips in the city of Goes,
nearly 114 miles outside of Amsterdam. But you'd do well to ignore the craving and look elsewhere
for your burger — unless you were looking to explore the Dutch countryside, that is.
Wendy's absence from the European market has to do with a business decision
made in the 1980s when it opened and then shut stores in the Netherlands, Belgium,
and Luxembourg — formerly known as the Benelux region. In the late ‘80s, a businessman named
Raymond Warrens decided to open a shop that he would name after his daughter. He eventually
registered the name "Wendy's" in 1995, got the trademark, and the rest is culinary history.
However, the food giant isn't going down without a fight and since 2000,
it has tried to sue Dutch Wendy's. But the Netherlands' courts aren't giving an
inch. While Warrens originally only had the right to use the name Wendy's within the Benelux region,
with the formation of the European Union, that right has been extended to cover all of the EU's
member states. According to multiple reports, Warrens now refuses to settle and continues
to fight out of principle. As a result, this has made Wendy's Fish & Chips one of the most
popular mom-and-pop outlets in the city. But the American chain isn't giving up just yet.
"Could I just have a Frosty and a baked potato please?"
With Brexit a reality, Wendy's has been able to stage something of a comeback by setting
up its first shop in England. The store, which opened in June of 2021, is located in Reading,
which is situated approximately 40 miles west of London and is seen as a transportation hub in that
part of the country. The restaurant is the first of five possible Wendy's locations that have been
planned for 2021. The intended locations include Stratford, Birmingham, East London, and Oxford.
Another 10 stores are reportedly planned for 2022, and the hope is to work with franchisees to open
more as opportunities arise. A spokesperson for Wendy's told The Columbus Dispatch,
"We know U.K. customers are really excited for us to come (thanks to) extensive research."
Wendy's British fans will be treated to the chain's greatest hits, including the Baconator and
its Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The Columbus Dispatch says there will also be local items on offer,
including several vegetarian options like a Veggie Stack meat-free burger, veggie bites,
and an avocado veggie salad. And since the U.K. isn't technically in the European Union anymore,
the store is strategically important to Wendy's because the company can potentially use the U.K.
as a jumping-off point into the continent when the time is right. But Wendy's may end up doing
things a bit differently when it tries to break into the European market the next time around.
Other than operating more than 6,800 restaurants across seven regions including the U.S.,
U.K., Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, the brand is also actively building up its
capacity within the ghost kitchens space. Calling them "dark kitchens," Wendy's sees
this as an opportunity to reach fans in cities where rent is high and space is at a premium.
It has already partnered with several dark kitchen brands around the world,
including REEF's Neighborhood Kitchens in Toronto, Canada, as well as Rebel Foods in India. This will
result in the opening of hundreds of dark kitchen facilities within both markets. So while Wendy's
might have lost the Battle for Europe to Wendy's Fish & Chips, the fight isn't over just yet.
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