Some fast-food and fast-casual chains across the US are shrinking their footprints, with several planning to scale back locations in 2026.
Restaurant chains, including Wendy’s, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut, have announced plans to close locations in 2026.
The planned closures come amid a challenging few years for restaurant chains, driven by factors such as inflation, rising labor costs, and changing customer preferences. Some brands have leaned on value meals and innovations in an attempt to bring more customers in the door.
“What’s really worked within quick service hasn’t been value, as much,” TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles previously told Business Insider. “Value is important, but you look at when McDonald’s, Burger King, etc, have done well — it’s really when they have great menu innovation or great marketing that they really see customers respond.”
Several restaurant chains have announced plans to close locations, while others have suddenly shuttered locations since the start of the year. Here’s what to know.
Wendy’s plans to close up to 350 US restaurants in the first six months of the year.
Wendy’s, founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969, is best-known for its square beef patties and signature Frosty dessert, as well as fan-favorite menu items such as the Baconator, Dave’s Single, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and chicken nuggets.
In February, Wendy’s said it intends to close roughly 5% to 6% of its US footprint — about 298 to 358 restaurants — in the first half of the year as it grapples with sliding sales and profits.
Interim CEO Ken Cook said the brand’s focus was now “to strengthen our foundation and position Wendy’s for long-term success.”
The Associated Press reported that Wendy’s shuttered 28 restaurants in the fourth quarter of 2025, leaving it with 5,969 locations across the US at the end of the year.
Company data shows systemwide US sales dropped 5.2% in 2025, while same-store sales declined 5.6% compared with the previous year.
However, Wendy’s international sales are growing, with systemwide sales up 8.1% and same-restaurant sales up 1.3% year over year.
Pizza Hut intends to shutter 250 US locations in the first half of the year.
Pizza Hut, founded in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in Wichita, Kansas, and best-known for its pan pizza, has more than 6,000 locations in the US.
In a February earnings call, its parent company, Yum! Brands, said Pizza Hut intends to shutter 250 US locations in the first half of the year.
Yum! Brands announced late last year that it was exploring a potential sale of the chain, after reporting a 1% decline in same-store sales during the third quarter, the eighth consecutive quarterly drop.
“The Pizza Hut team has been working hard to address business and category challenges,” Chris Turner, chief executive of Yum! Brands said in November. “However, Pizza Hut’s performance indicates the need to take additional action to help the brand realize its full value, which may be better executed outside Yum! Brands.”
A list of locations was not shared, but the closures will impact “underperforming” locations, Yum! Brands said. The chain has faced tough competition from other chains, especially with the rise of value meals.
Internationally, it is faring better, with same-store sales increasing by 1% last year.
Jack in the Box plans to close up to 100 locations this year.
Jack in the Box — the fast-food chain that’s been flipping burgers since 1951 — has built a following at its more than 2,100 locations with a menu that includes curly fries, tacos, chicken sandwiches, and milkshakes. But even this drive-thru staple has hit some bumps in the road.
In 2025, the company rolled out its “Jack on Track” turnaround plan to boost performance and strengthen its finances. Part of this was selling off Del Taco for $119 million, which was completed in December.
Jack in the Box finished Q1 of the fiscal year 2026 with 2,128 restaurants. By the end of June, the brand expects 50 to 100 closures and around 20 openings, QSR Magazine reported in February.
Customers online have had mixed reviews about the food quality, while others lamented the disappearance of their go-to lunch spots.
Same-store sales across its restaurants dropped 6.7 percent in Q1 year over year, the company reported, according to QSR Magazine.
The goal this year is to focus on innovation, customer service, cosmetic updates, and fewer, stronger limited-time offers.
“2026 is about laying the foundation for sustainable long-term growth, which requires doing a lot of hard work right now,” CEO Lance Tucker told QSR, adding, “We are beginning to see early results that reinforce that we are on the right path.”
Papa John’s plans to close approximately 200 stores in 2026.
Papa John’s announced in a February 26 earnings call that it plans to close about 200 restaurants in 2026 as part of a broader effort to shut down 300 underperforming locations by the end of 2027.
The closures will primarily affect franchise-owned stores that are more than 10 years old and do not indicate long-term profitability, Ravi Thanawala, Papa Johns’ CFO, said on the call.
CEO Todd Penegor said, “We are taking action to better align corporate and field resources with our transformation priorities and optimize spans and layers in our organizations.”
Papa John’s was founded in 1984 by John Schnatter in Jeffersonville, Indiana, when he began selling pizzas out of a converted broom closet in his father’s tavern. The brand quickly grew into one of the largest pizza chains in the world, known for its “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.” slogan.
Red Robin has abruptly closed some restaurants nationwide.
Some Red Robin locations in Illinois, California, and New Jersey abruptly closed this year, The Independent reported.
The company, which has nearly 500 locations across the United States, said in February 2025 that it intended to shutter roughly 70 underperforming restaurants as part of a plan to pay down debt, USA Today reported.
Later in the year, executives shared during an earnings call that turnaround efforts at several locations had been more successful than expected, reducing the need for as many closures.
“Building on this momentum, Red Robin delivered strong financial results in its third quarter of 2025, including beating expectations of comparable restaurant revenue, restaurant level profitability, and traffic,” the company said in a January statement. “Red Robin expects to report results for fourth quarter and full year 2025 in its first quarter of 2026.”
Red Robin did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment on the recent closures.
Red Robin was founded in 1969 in Seattle, Washington, when local restaurateur Gerry Kingen expanded and renamed a neighborhood tavern that had originally opened in the 1940s.
The company grew into a national casual-dining chain known for its gourmet burgers, its Bottomless Steak Fries, onion rings, and thick, hand-spun milkshakes.
Some Denny’s have also closed without advance notice.
Denny’s, which operates more than 1,650 locations globally and is recognized for comfort-food staples, confirmed in January that it had completed its plan to close 150 restaurants by the end of 2025.
Since the start of 2026, there have been reports of restaurants closing without advance notice, including locations in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as Midland, Texas, per Mashed.
Denny’s did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment on the recent closures. It has not said if there will be others this year.
It comes amid broader corporate shifts at the company. In January, $620 million acquisition by TriArtisan Capital, Yadav Enterprises, and Treville Capital was completed. The company reported that CEO Kelli Valade would leave in February.
Denny’s was founded in 1953 in Lakewood, California, by Harold Butler and Richard Jezak, originally operating under the name Danny’s Donuts before evolving into a full-service coffee shop and eventually rebranding as Denny’s.
Noodles & Company expects to close between 30 and 35 locations in 2026.
Fast Company reported Noodles & Company plans to shutter more restaurants as part of a broader effort to shore up its finances.
In a January announcement, the fast-casual chain said it expects to close between 30 and 35 locations in 2026 to improve profitability and strengthen its overall performance.
By the end of 2025, the brand operated 340 company-owned restaurants and 83 franchised locations. The company had already downsized its footprint the previous year, closing 42 restaurants, including 33 corporate locations and nine franchise units.
“Decisions like this are made thoughtfully and with a long-term view of the business,” CEO and President Joe Christina said, adding that fourth-quarter results showed stronger performance when resources were focused on higher-opportunity restaurants. He said the moves are designed to bolster the brand’s financial position and support long-term, profitable growth.
Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy in Denver, Colorado. The chain is known for its diverse menu that spans flavors from around the world, including Wisconsin Mac & Cheese, Pad Thai, Japanese Pan Noodles, and Pasta Fresca. In addition to noodle bowls, the restaurant offers soups, salads, and shareable sides, positioning itself as a quick-service spot for comfort food with an international twist.
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