Wendy's Breakfast Hours

Wendy's Breakfast News & Changes Log

Reverse-chronological. Each entry states what changed, who it affects and where it was confirmed. Store counts come from our own census of locations.wendys.com; next scheduled update: after the Q3 earnings call (~November 6, 2026).

As of September 19, 2026: 4,299 of 5,635 US Wendy's serve breakfast (73.3%), down from roughly 98% before February 2026. The number moves with two events — franchisees opting out under the February 2026 policy, and store closures — and this page records both. Hours themselves have not changed: 96.9% of breakfast stores still stop at 10:30 AM. Watch items for the rest of 2026: the fallout from Meritage Hospitality's Chapter 11 filing (314 stores in 15 states), the Q3 call in early November, and whether the $1 biscuit promotion returns.

2026

September 18, 2026 — Meritage Hospitality, Wendy's largest franchisee after Flynn, files Chapter 11. Meritage (314 Wendy's in 15 states, filed September 17 in the Western District of Michigan) plans 57–60 closures and had already removed breakfast from roughly 120–164 of its restaurants earlier in the year. Expect further breakfast reductions in Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas and Oklahoma as the restructuring proceeds. Source: Restaurant Dive; WOODTV (Grand Rapids).

September 19, 2026 — Census update. 5,635 US stores on the locator; 4,299 serve breakfast, 1,512 don't. Of the non-serving stores, 84% open at 10:00 AM and 12% at 9:00 AM. Weekend 11:00 AM cutoffs unchanged at 208 stores. Source: this site's census; method on /how-we-verify-hours/.

August 11, 2026 — CEO Ken Cook links breakfast opt-outs to traffic decline. In interviews following the Q2 call, management attributed part of the −12.5% second-quarter US traffic decline to restaurants that dropped breakfast, and confirmed 289 US closures in the first half of 2026. Source: The Independent (Keller).

August 7, 2026 — Q2 FY2026 earnings call. CFO Ken Cirulis quantified breakfast as a ~120 basis-point drag on same-store sales, of which ~70 bps came from franchisee opt-outs. Breakfast is described as 5–5.5% of US sales, versus about 8% in late 2020. No change to the opt-out policy was announced. Next call: ~November 6, 2026. Source: Wendy's Q2 2026 call transcript.

July 2026 — Our census puts the no-breakfast share above 25% for the first time. Third-party site wendys-menus.us reported 72.9% serving; our July count was consistent. Source: internal census.

March 2026 — "Breakfast Equity" campaign. Wendy's runs a national breakfast advertising push under the "Breakfast Equity" banner, promoting fresh-cracked eggs and the 2 for $3 Biggie Bundle — the first major breakfast campaign after the opt-out decision. Source: wendys.com/breakfast.

February 15, 2026 — Charlotte, NC stores serve their last breakfast. The Charlotte-area franchisee ended breakfast at its stores after Sunday, February 15, one of the first metro-wide exits after the policy change. Source: r/wendys (store staff), local reporting.

February 13, 2026 — Wendy's confirms franchisees may opt out of breakfast ("Project Fresh"). Under CEO Ken Cook's turnaround plan, breakfast is no longer required systemwide; operators may drop the daypart where it is unprofitable. Corporate keeps the menu and marketing for stores that continue. Trade press cited operator figures of 12–20 labour hours a day against under $200 in some stores' breakfast sales. Source: Restaurant Dive (Feb 13, 2026); retailwatchers.

January 2026 — Twin Cities franchisee drops breakfast except at 24-hour stores and Eagan. Minnesota's serve-share falls below 50%. Source: local reporting; census.

2025

December 23, 2025 — Holiday statement. A Wendy's spokesperson: "Many Wendy's locations will be open" on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; hours set locally. See holiday hours.

October 13, 2025 — Thirteen Capital Region (Albany, NY) stores drop breakfast. The earliest documented multi-store exit, four months before the formal policy. Source: Daily Gazette.

July 14 – ~August 21, 2025 — $1 Breakfast Biscuit promotion. Honey Buddy Chicken Biscuit, Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit and Bacon Egg & Cheese Biscuit at $1 each, in-store and drive-thru, no app required; advertised through August 31 but pulled early at many stores around August 21. The Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit was renamed Honey Buddy alongside the promotion. Source: QSR Magazine (Jul 14, 2025); r/wendys.

November 11, 2025 — Free Breakfast Combo for veterans and active military, in-store and drive-thru, third consecutive year. See Veterans Day.

2024

2024 — Breakfast Burritos and English Muffin sandwiches added. Burritos (Sausage, Bacon) join the national menu; English Muffins were later dropped from the national menu (not listed on order.wendys.com as of September 2026).

November 11, 2024 — Free Breakfast Combo for veterans, second year.

2023

August 28, 2023 — 2 for $3 Breakfast Biggie Bundle becomes permanent. Any two of Sausage Biscuit, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, Small Seasoned Potatoes, Medium Hot Coffee; no substitutions; $4 at some franchisees.

July 24, 2023 — Frosty Cream Cold Brew replaces the Frosty-ccino.

November 11, 2023 — First free Breakfast Combo for veterans.

2022

August 2022 — French Toast Sticks launch (4- and 6-piece).

May 2022 — Canada launches breakfast nationally. See Canada.

2020

March 2, 2020 — Breakfast launches nationwide at all but 80 of 5,850 US restaurants, hours opening–10:30 AM. Full history on When did Wendy's start serving breakfast?

What to watch next

~November 6, 2026 — Q3 earnings call. Any change to the opt-out policy, a breakfast store count, or a decision on a 2027 breakfast promotion would be announced here.
Meritage Chapter 11 milestones (store closure list, sale of restaurants to other operators) — each transfer can restore or remove breakfast at the affected stores.
Thanksgiving (Nov 26) and Christmas — holiday hours are set locally; we publish a checked list the week before each. See holiday hours.
Monthly census — the next full re-crawl of locations.wendys.com runs the first week of October 2026; state-level changes will be posted here and on the state table.