And now Wendy's is laying down a serious challenge as it announces plans to re-enter the UK market after a 20-year absence. Wendy's is planning up to open 400 outlets across the UK over the next few years, which will create around 12,000 jobs. It has also agreed a delivery deal with Uber Eats. Wendy's first UK location opened in Reading in June, and while the classic square burgers will be on the menu, more vegetarian options will be added to cater to UK tastes.
However, even with its plan to attack the UK market, Wendy's will still be dwarfed by McDonald's globally, which has 1,300 outlets, and Burger King, which has more than 500. Across the world Wendy's has more than 6,500 locations, compared to McDonald's 36,000 and Burger King's 18,000, and with a current company valuation of $4.9 billion (£3.5bn) Wendy's has got a long way to go to catch up. That said, Wendy's is confident it can make an impact in the UK due to its quality and service.