?Wendy's rolls out its star menu

The Wendy's Company has announced the opening of their 150th store in Kolkata, India. 

With this addition, Wendy’s will be now available in 31 cities of India and they are planning for more outlets.  

“Super excited to announce the opening of our 150th location in India! Rebel Foods, The Wendy's Company. This milestone reflects our team's dedication and the trust our customers place in us. Thank you for being a part of our journey. Here's too many more,” shared Anburaj J, GM- Wendy’s India at Rebel Foods on Linkedin.

It was in February last year that Rebel Foods has acquired Wendy’s in India and got an exclusive franchise rights for Wendy’s offline business in India.

Known for their square hamburger patties on circular buns, sea salt fries, and the Frosty, soft ice cream mixed with starches, Wendy’s food menu consists primarily of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and french fries. The American international fast food chain is growing rapidly in India.

“Whether you're in Amritsar or Raipur, Thirupur or Mysore, Surat or Nashik, we are there to serve you! Wendy's is available in 31 cities of India and many more coming soon,” he added.

Rebel Foods operates food brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, Mandarin Oak, The Good Bowl, Slay Coffee via 450 kitchens in over 70 cities.
 

The Wendy's Company has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Kirk Tanner as Wendy's President and CEO, effective February 5, 2024. Mr. Tanner will succeed Todd Penegor, who will depart from the Company and Board in February after serving in senior leadership positions at Wendy's for more than a decade. Mr. Tanner has also been elected to serve on the Wendy's Board of Directors.

Tanner most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of North American Beverages at PepsiCo, Inc., and joins Wendy's with more than 30 years of experience across beverages, snacks and foodservice. At PepsiCo, he oversaw the $26+ billion business unit, which accounts for approximately 30% of PepsiCo's overall business, driving operational performance and revenue growth, the incubation and launch of new products and the entrance into new markets over the course of his tenure. Prior to his most recent role, Mr. Tanner oversaw PepsiCo's Global Foodservice division, during which time he expanded the Company's presence in foodservice through strategic partnerships, new product lines and significant deals with major sports leagues and restaurant chains.

"We are thrilled to welcome an executive of Kirk's caliber to the Wendy's team," said Nelson Peltz, Chairman of the Wendy's Board. "Kirk is a proven operational leader whose customer-centric mindset and broad experience positioning and growing some of the most well-known global brands make him the ideal candidate to lead Wendy's into its next phase of growth and expansion."

"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this iconic brand at such a pivotal time in the industry," said Mr. Tanner. "I am energized by the future potential and expansion opportunities for the business. I look forward to working with the talented Wendy's team and franchisees to drive future growth and success."

Mr. Peltz continued, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Todd for his tremendous contributions to Wendy's over the years. Through his leadership, Wendy's has driven strong growth in sales, earnings and new restaurant counts, forging an industry-leading partnership with the franchise community and a robust digital business. We wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter."

"I am grateful to the Wendy's team for their dedication and am immensely proud of all we have achieved together," said Mr. Penegor. "I'm confident the Company is in highly capable hands with Kirk at the helm. My Wendy's roots run deep, and while the time is right for me to move on as an executive of this great organization, I will forever be a supporter as a loyal customer."

The Wendy's Company has signed a new master franchise agreement with Flynn Restaurant Group to develop 200 Wendy's restaurants in Australia through 2034.

Flynn Restaurant Group is the largest restaurant franchise operator in the world and will serve as the exclusive master franchisee in Australia.

The news comes following the announcement earlier this year that the iconic American hamburger brand marked its intention to enter the Australian market. 

Wendy's sees Australia as a high priority, strategic growth market and the collaboration with Flynn Restaurant Group showcases Wendy's ambition to expand its international footprint using its franchising model.

“Australia is a strategic market for long-term growth for Wendy's. Flynn Restaurant Group has incredible experience in the restaurant space, and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with them,” shared Abigail Pringle, President, International & CDO, The Wendy's Company.

The agreement between Wendy's and Flynn Restaurant Group will drive growth in Australia primarily after 2025, with the ambition to hit 200 restaurants across the country through 2034, through a combination of equity stores and sub-franchise partners.

In addition to Wendy's, Flynn's Restaurant Group operate restaurants for Applebee's, Taco Bell, Panera, Arby's and Pizza Hut throughout the US. Through their Wendy's franchise organization, Wend American, they currently operate nearly 200 Wendy's restaurants across five states.

“We couldn't be more excited about expanding our partnership with Wendy's. It is a tremendous brand with significant untapped potential outside of the U.S. and we think it is an especially great fit for Australia, given the savvy nature of the Australian consumer. We look forward to expanding the brand in the market and in the process re-defining what Australians should expect from QSR,” added Ron Bellamy, Chief Operating Officer of Flynn Restaurant Group.

Wendy's® and Google Cloud today announced an expanded partnership to pilot a ground breaking artificial intelligence (AI) solution, Wendy's FreshAI, designed to revolutionize the quick service restaurant industry. 

The technology has the potential to transform Wendy's drive-thru food ordering experience with Google Cloud's generative AI and large language models (LLMs) technology.

With 75 to 80 percent of Wendy's customers choosing the drive-thru as their preferred ordering channel, delivering a seamless ordering experience using AI automation can be difficult due to the complexities of menu options, special requests, and ambient noise. 

Google Cloud's generative AI capabilities can now bring a new automated ordering experience to the drive-thru that is intended to enhance the experience that customers, employees and franchisees expect from Wendy's.

"Wendy's introduced the first modern pick-up window in the industry more than 50 years ago, and we're thrilled to continue our work with Google Cloud to bring a new wave of innovation to the drive-thru experience," said Todd Penegor, President and CEO of Wendy's by adding that Google Cloud's generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for them to deliver a truly differentiated, faster and frictionless experience for customers.

In June, Wendy's plans to launch its first pilot of Google Cloud's AI technology in a Columbus, OH-area, Company-operated restaurant, using those learnings to inform future expansions to more Wendy's drive-thrus. 

The pilot will include new generative AI offerings, such as Vertex AI and more, to have conversations with customers, the ability to understand made-to-order requests and generate responses to frequently asked questions. 

"Wendy's has always been at the forefront of innovation, and we're thrilled to build upon our partnership with the company with our new generative AI technologies," said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud. " 
 

Internet restaurants operator Rebel Foods on Tuesday announced that the brand has got an exclusive franchise rights for Wendy’s offline business in India.

The move marks an end to the chain’s erstwhile partnership with Sierra Nevada that held rights to expand the chain’s offline presence in the country.

Earlier in 2020, Rebel Foods acquired the licence to exclusively develop Wendy’s cloud kitchens in India with a commitment to open approximately 250 delivery kitchens across in next 10 year.

“In this expanded, new franchise commitment, Rebel will help the brand grow its restaurant model in India with digital expertise in delivery, automation, and innovation," shared a company statement by Rebel Foods.

Rebel Foods will now completely manage and operate the brand’s traditional restaurants across India and also develop approximately 150 outlets over the next decade.

As part of the earlier 2020 agreement, Sierra Nevada, that has interests in the restaurant business, was mandated to operate 150 Wendy’s brick-and-mortar restaurants. The business has now been sold to Rebel Foods. “We sold our Wendy’s restaurants to Rebel and are very happy with the deal," said Jasper Reid, MD, Sierra Nevada.

Currently, Wendy’s is present in 19 cities across India with approximately 90 locations, which includes three traditional Wendy’s restaurants in India which Rebel Foods is operating.

“India is a strategic and high-growth potential market for the burger chain. We are thrilled that Rebel Foods is expanding its franchise commitment to accelerate Wendy’s footprint across the country with a mix of traditional restaurant expansion and digital innovation via cloud kitchens,” added Abigail Pringle, president, International & Chief Development Officer, The Wendy’s Company.

“Burgers will continue to be the big bite of 2023, and a big part of the food missions we achieve and own. With this collaboration, not only will Rebel Foods continue to retain our position as the world’s largest internet restaurant company, but we will also be the only cloud kitchen player in India to scale a large global QSR brand through the development of traditional restaurants and cloud kitchens in a super-fast and Capex-light manner, driven by technology and unique business model," pointed Sagar Kochhar, Co-founder, Rebel Foods.

Rebel Foods operates food brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, Mandarin Oak, The Good Bowl, Slay Coffee via 450 kitchens in over 70 cities.

The Wendy's Company has announced near-term, science-based targets to reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 47% by 2030 across its global System.

The goals, which were recently approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), underscore Wendy's® commitment to transparency and mitigating its climate impact.

To make these meaningful cuts, Wendy's will work throughout its System, including Company operations, and cooperatively with franchisees and suppliers, to turn commitment into action.

Wendy's estimates that achieving the goal would avoid approximately 7.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent compared to business as usual, which is equal to removing more than 1.5 million gas-powered vehicles from the road in a single year.

"We recognize our role in using resources and energy, and we continue to prioritize delivering more to our customers with a smaller environmental footprint," said Chief Corporate Aairs and Sustainability Ocer Liliana Esposito.

Through the process of setting its Scope 3 science-based targets, Wendy's identified two areas of focus for emissions reductions: purchased goods and franchised restaurants. Purchased goods, such as food and packaging, represent nearly 85% of the System's Scope 3 emissions while Wendy's more than 6,500 franchised restaurants contribute approximately 10% of Scope 3 emissions. Collaboration throughout the Wendy's value chain will be critical to achieving its Scope 3 targets, which are aligned to SBTi's well below 2°C criteria.

"Today, Wendy's joins the growing list of companies with science-based targets consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C," said Luiz Amaral, Chief Executive Ocer of the Science Based Targets initiative. "We now need more corporate actors to set ambitious targets like Wendy's."

QSR- chain Wendy's has announced a new global restaurant design standard, Global Next Gen, for enhanced customer, crew and digital experiences.

Beginning Fall 2022, Wendy's® new traditional restaurant builds will 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.

"To accelerate our business and expand our footprint across the globe, we must consistently meet the needs of our customers however they chose to engage with Wendy's, whether that's through a digital platform or in the drive-thru" said Todd Penegor, President and CEO, Wendy's by adding that Global Next Gen enhances the customer experience across ordering channels and streamlines operations for our crew, all while creating better returns for franchisees.

Global Next Gen includes the following design features and technology to better serve today's customers:

Delivery Pick-Up Window: A dedicated delivery pick-up window and delivery parking makes it more convenient and quicker for delivery drivers, who previously needed to enter the dining room, to grab orders and go. This design also shifts traffic out of the drive-thru line where customers are waiting, so crew can focus on taking and fulfilling orders more quickly, efficiently and accurately.

Dedicated Mobile Order Pickup: Global Next Gen features mobile order parking and pick-up shelving in-restaurant. Customers select a pick-up time when placing their mobile order and upon arrival, park in a dedicated mobile order parking spot, grab their meal off the mobile order pick-up shelving and enjoy their Wendy's favorites.

Reimagined Kitchen: A new galley-style kitchen design, which runs from the front to the back of the restaurant, increases efficiency and oversight for crew across all sales channels. The kitchen design allows for efficiencies at the point of sale, provides the ability for crew to slide between positions more easily throughout the day and supports faster order fulfillment and culinary innovation.

Next Generation Technology: Global Next Gen comes alive through the next generation of modernized technology that works hard behind the scenes, allowing restaurant teams to handle significantly more digital business than before. This also provides a platform for forward-leaning technology innovation.    

Optimized Infrastructure: New restaurants will use more efficient building elements such as lighting and HVAC to decrease energy usage and costs.

"As the first restaurant brand to offer a modern pick-up window more than 50 years ago, Wendy's continues its legacy of design and innovation with Global Next Gen," added Penegor.

Wendy's plans to open the first Global Next Gen restaurant in New Albany, Ohio in Spring 2023.

QSR chain has recorded one of its best quarters in history in Q1 2022 with global same-restaurant sales up double digits and increased its global digital sales mix to over 10%, as per a Wendy’s release.

"We continue to make meaningful progress against our three strategic growth pillars, reinforcing the strength and resiliency of the Wendy's® brand and driving robust AUV and sales increases," shared Todd Penegor, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wendy’s.

The brand has also said it has its best quarters in the history for unit growth, with over 90 new restaurant openings, and are on track to reach their planned net unit growth goal of 5 to 6 percent for the year.

“We also competed well with Global same-restaurant sales up double digits once again on a two-year basis and increased our Global digital sales mix to over 10%. We are well positioned to win in this volatile environment, with strong franchisee alignment behind our strategies, and have strengthened our balance sheet with the successful debt raise transaction we recently completed,” added Penegor.

The decrease in company-operated restaurant margin was primarily the result of higher commodity and labor costs, customer count declines and the impact of the company's investments to support the entry into the U.K. market, stated the earnings release.

The decrease in adjusted EBITDA resulted primarily from higher general and administrative expense and a decrease in company-operated restaurant margin.

QSR-chain Wendy’s With 30 years of history in Mexico and 28 locations in the country is planning to significantly expand its presence in Mexico.

Recent research by Wendy’s revealed that Mexican QSR consumers want more access to Wendy’s high-quality, great-tasting food. The survey also suggested that Wendy’s is well-poised to win over Mexican consumers with its commitment to serving high-quality, made to order food using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and offering a wide range of craveable menu options that are affordable and competitively priced.

“We’re answering the call from Mexican consumers to bring more Wendy’s to more people across the country,” said Carlos Ribas, Wendy’s VP & Managing Director, Latin America & Caribbean Region that is actively seeking world-class, well-established franchise partners with strong operations experience, local development expertise and a proven track record with growing brands in Mexico to help Wendy’s reach its full potential.

The Company is also developing a new national menu for Mexico with limited-time-offers that tap into local consumer flavor preferences.

The menu will deliver on the high-quality, freshly made food that sets the brand apart.

To ensure more consumers can access the brand, Wendy’s is also investing in its digital and delivery business, including partnerships with a variety of delivery providers.

Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s restaurant with an unwavering commitment to serve fresh, high-quality food, at a fair price, in a comfortable atmosphere. He introduced the franchise model to Wendy’s, with a vision to help entrepreneurs become successful independent business owners. Today, with more than 50 years of success in the quick service restaurant industry and approximately 7,000 restaurant locations around the world, Wendy’s remains committed to honoring Dave’s long-standing legacy.

“We are focused on building long-term relationships with partners who want to grow with us, share our values and reflect the communities in which we operate,” Ribas added.

Recently, Wendy’s has also launched an online alternate reality community, Wendyverse, with the help of Meta's Horizon Worlds, owned by Facebook.

As of April 2, U.S. and Canadian customers, ages 18 or older, will have access to the 3-D world using Facebook's Quest 2 headset, as per a Yahoo Finance report.

In the alternative reality customers can visit the brand's first-ever VR restaurant located in Wendyverse Town Square Central and mingle with other fans at an orange soda fountain in the town square. They can also play hoops at the Buck BiscuitDome.

To promote the virtual reality experience the brand is offering its Sausage or Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit for a $1 at physical locations through May 1.

QSR chain Wendy's®  has announced its partnership with Google Cloud to enhance the Wendy's restaurant experience and unlock new customer, restaurant, and employee experiences through data-driven insights.

Wendy's intends to leverage Google Cloud's data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and hybrid cloud tools to create new ways customers can order food in the drive thru, on their mobile devices and through other touch points.

By expanding the ways customers can engage with the brand in the future, using technology like speech-to-text and Google Search and Maps, Wendy's is planning to make it faster, easier, and more convenient for customers to access the brand.

"We are committed to providing our customers with the greatest experience possible, and our partnership with Google Cloud is raising the bar by enabling us to match the experience to their preferences," said Kevin Vasconi, Chief Information Officer of Wendy's by adding that Google Cloud's AI/ML and data analytics solutions will enable Wendy's to innovate ways to create fast, frictionless, and fun interactions that redefine the way customers visit and enjoy restaurants.

As its preferred cloud provider, Wendy's expects to leverage Google Cloud's AI, ML, data analytics, Looker business intelligence and analytics tool, and Anthos modernization platform to both modernize its operations and create brand-new services-all on Google's trusted, secure, and reliable cloud.

The brand is also aiming to reimagine the restaurant experience for customers and employees using BigQuery and Looker to improve business analytics and reporting.

"Wendy's has always been a leader—from introducing the first modern day pick-up window in the industry to the first fast-food salad bar," said Robert Enslin, President of Sales at Google Cloud.

Ohio-based burger brand Wendy’s has partnered with REEF – the largest operator of mobility, logistics hubs and kitchens to open and operate 700 delivery kitchens over the next five years.

These delivery kitchens will be operational across the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.

The commitment builds upon the successful test of eight delivery kitchens in Canada beginning in late 2020. Through this commitment, REEF will become the first Wendy's® franchisee in the United Kingdom.

Also Read: Wendy’s partners with Rebel Foods, to open 250 cloud-kitchens

Wendy's and REEF expect to open approximately 50 delivery kitchens in 2021, with the remainder launched by 2025.

"The demand for convenient delivery solutions means we must look for opportunities beyond our traditional restaurant formats, especially in dense urban areas," said Abigail Pringle, Wendy's President, International and Chief Development Officer by adding that with this partnership, they want to see their brand and quest to reach more customers in more ways.

REEF's network of delivery kitchens, in over 30 cities around the world, helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution by bringing food closer to the customer. REEF Kitchens are conveniently placed and mean shorter deliveries in your neighborhood.

"We are proud to partner with Wendy's to show how a restaurant brand can successfully and conveniently scale with REEF's delivery kitchen platform to reach more customers faster and with Wendy's world famous commitment to quality food and service," said Michael Beacham, President of REEF Kitchens.

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That's why Wendy's® is showing residents in Providence how to do breakfast the RIGHT way and #DitchTheDonut for a better breakfast.

With fresh-made, craveable and bold options like the Breakfast Baconator® and Frosty-ccino®, Wendy's has a menu lineup worthy of getting out of bed.

Also, one lucky fan will score Wendy's breakfast for a year with the #DitchTheDonut sweepstakes.

Customers can visit a pop-up Wendy's in Kennedy Plaza to get a free taste of Wendy's breakfast on Wednesday, July 14 from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

The QSR chain is also offering a delicious deal to shake up morning routine. 

Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide.

American- QSR chain Wendy’s has partnered with dark-kitchen major Rebel Foods to open cloud-kitchens in the market.

The Ohio-based fast food chain has announced its plan to expand its presence in India over the next decade in collaboration with its master franchisee Sierra Nevada Restaurants and Rebel Foods.

Also Read: How Rebel Foods has Built the Largest Dark-Kitchen Business in India

Wendy’s that entered India in 2015 is looking to expand both physical as well as cloud-kitchen.

According to the release, Rebel Foods will partner with Sierra Nevada Restaurants to develop and operate approximately 250 Wendy’s cloud kitchens pan-India.

Meanwhile, Sierra Nevada is planning to start another 150 Wendy’s restaurants in India.

“The partnership is game-changing. For generations, brands building a national presence relied solely on a brick-and-mortar strategy and made significant investments over decades. By partnering with the Rebel Foods network of existing kitchens in India, Wendy’s will get immediate access to rapid scale across the country, at far lower levels of capital,” shared Kallol Banerjee, co-founder, Rebel Foods.

The cloud-kitchen major presently runs more than 300 cloud kitchens across India, UAE, South East Asia and UK.

May Interest: US-based Wendy's to launch new breakfast menu nationwide

However, Wendy’s is presently running nine restaurants that include four restaurants and five cloud kitchens in Delhi-NCR.

Covid-19 pandemic has hit the restaurant business at large and we have seen mostly everyone either changing their concept or entering the cloud-kitchen space. Also, takeaway and online delivery business has seen a surge as people are still hesitant to leave their home.

NPC International Inc., the largest franchisee of Pizza Hut restaurants in the US has filed for bankruptcy after covid-19  pandemic has forced restaurants to close for so long.

The closely held company sought Chapter 11 protection in the Southern District of Texas court on Wednesday, shared a BloombergQuint report.

It owns over 1,225 Pizza Hut and over 385 Wendy’s restaurants in the US.

The group has struggled with rising labor and food costs while trying to expand delivery and move away from traditional dine-in restaurants.

The company has $903 million in debt and has pre-negotiated a restructuring agreement with about 90% of its first lien lenders and 17% of second lien lenders. The plan is aimed at reducing the company’s debt, with first lien lenders taking equity and potentially participating in a new cash injection. It also includes the sale of at least part of the company’s restaurants, according to the filing.

The Chapter 11 filing doesn’t mean Pizza Hut and Wendy’s are going out of business. NPC can continue running its outlets while it works out a plan to pay its bills and turn the business around.

Also, the bankruptcy doesn’t affect Pizza Hut and Wendy’s outlets owned by other franchisees.

Ahead of the pandemic, NPC, backed by private investment firm Eldridge Industries LLC, brought in the help of restructuring advisers at law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges as well as investment bank Greenhill & Co. and operational adviser AlixPartners LLP, Bloomberg reported. Eldridge wrote off its equity investment in NPC last year.

US-based Wendy's will start serving an all new breakfast menu nationwide on March 2. Its breakfast menu will include a Breakfast Baconator, Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, and Frostyccino.

The fast food chain anticipates that breakfast sales will grow to at least 10% of its total daily sales.

Kurt Kane, President, US and Chief Commercial Officer of The Wendy's Company, said, “People deserve a delicious, affordable and higher quality breakfast than what they're currently getting, so that's exactly what we're going to serve when Wendy's launches breakfast nationally on March 2.”

“Our crew will be hand-cracking fresh eggs on all our breakfast sandwiches and leaning into the quality ingredients that have long set Wendy's apart from the competition. We've crafted unique sandwiches that will leave you craving another, like the Breakfast Baconator, which features a fresh-cracked egg, signature sausage patty and six strips of Applewood smoked bacon,” Kane added.

At present, the vast majority of Wendy's locations open at 10 a.m. for lunch; however, breakfast items are becoming a growing segment of the fast food industry.

QSR’s Statistical View

As per a recent report, the Food Industry is no doubt booming at a fast rate, with Full-service restaurants and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) together accounting for around 73% of the total restaurant industry.

According to the report by the National Restaurant Association of India, the overall restaurant market will touch Rs 510 billion in the next four years, from the current Rs 205 billion. It said that QSR space would be amongst the fastest-growing, touching nearly Rs 250 billion of the overall market in the next few years. This segment is expected to witness increased activity via market expansion and entry by various players.

Popularity of QSR in India

QSRs have gained popularity with evolving lifestyles, urbanisation, and growing nuclear families. They are growing faster than the full-service restaurants across the globe due to their quick deliveries and competitive pricing that attract consumers. McDonald’s was the first QSR in India followed by various others such as KFC and Dominos.

QSRs have always been a zone of attraction for both consumers and business investors, making its franchises a lucrative segment for investment. QSR can be a one-stop destination for budding entrepreneurs that are stepping in this industry for the first time.

The Changing Behavior of Customers

Standardization across food outlet chains in terms of ambiance, hygiene, easy accessibility, and service has caused an instant interest in the mind of the customers, increasing the QSR’s footfall. QSR’s are helping Indians to warm up the western cuisines.

Despite Indian food being the ultimate winner, cuisines like Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and American are gaining significant popularity because of the curious customers who are willing to experiment with their taste buds.

Seeing the potential of the Indian food industry, more franchisors could be seen entering the QSR segment for marking their existence as a brand.

Carnation Hospitality, a wholly-owned subsidiary of consumer packaging company Rollatainers is planning to invest Rs 250 crore over the next five years.

The company is planning to expand its bouquet of food and beverage (F&B) brands including Wendy’s, Barista and its home grown brand Kylin.

Recently, Carnation has also acquired rights to operate certain restaurant chains at metro stations in Delhi.

"This space is interesting as it generates huge footfalls for the brands," said Sanjay Chhabra, MD, Carnation Hospitality. The company is also planning to open restaurants at railway stations such as Haridwar, Panipat and Mumbai Central among others.

"The investment will be funded through internal accruals and funds from the promoters," said Chhabra.

Carnation which has also acquired Barista for Rs 100 crore is also turning the coffee chain into modern cafes.

"We are refurbishing the stores to make them up to date and modern and planning to reach 550 outlets in the next three years from the current 190,”added Chhabra.

Wendy's, one of the world’s largest hamburger chains, is making its India debut today at Sector 29, Gurgaon.

Wendy’s franchisee in the country, Sierra Nevada Restaurants Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between International Market Management (UK) and Rollatainers Ltd (India), officially opened its first restaurant today in Sector 29 in Gurgaon.

Sierra Nevada plans to open three more outlets in Delhi/NCR during the summer months and up to 20 more in North India over the next few years.

Founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas, the Wendy's restaurant system now encompasses more than 6,500 restaurants in 29 countries and US territories.

In India, Wendy's is introducing a new menu, new restaurant designs and new approaches to customer service. Within the evolving Indian F&B sector, Wendy’s seeks to differentiate itself by offering a casual dining experience at a QSR price. "We've worked on the concept with the Wendy's team for almost two years. And we've talked to Indian consumers and discovered that what they want is real quality and distinctive, great-tasting menu choices at an affordable price. While staying true to Wendy’s values, we’re customizing the brand experience to make it relevant to 2015 India,” said Sanjay Chhabra, one of the directors of Sierra Nevada.

The Wendy's India menu includes Wendy's classics like the Baconator (with chicken not beef) as well as salads, baked potatoes, chili and the Frosty dessert. In addition, a whole new range of menu choices has been created using only superior-quality ingredients.

Wendy's has one of the widest vegetarian menus in the sector, with six new burgers including the Greek Falafel, Spinach 'n Corn and the Mushroom Cheese. For non-vegetarians, there is a wide range of chicken and mutton burgers.

“Restaurant features include a bold, contemporary design, engaging music and food served on real plates,” said Jasper Reid, another director of Sierra Nevada. “Our hope is that our restaurants will stand apart in terms of food quality, ambience and service.” 

Commenting on the Wendy's India launch, Emil Brolick, Wendy’s President and Chief Executive Officer shared, "India is a growing, dynamic market, which is attracting the attention of leading brands around the world. Key to delivering brand excellence in India is an experienced and like-minded partner. In Sierra Nevada, we have a partner with an international team, a proven operating track-record and with the highest standards of governance. Over the last two years our combined teams have developed the basis of a long-term and fruitful collaboration. We are very excited about launching Wendy’s in India with Sierra Nevada, and look forward to partnering with them to deliver ‘A Cut Above’ restaurant experience that delights our customers and earns their loyalty and trust.”