Transactions with Related Parties

9 Months Ended

Oct. 01, 2023

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Transactions with Related Parties

Transactions with Related Parties

Except as described below, the Company did not have any significant changes in or transactions with its related parties during the current fiscal period since those reported in the Form 10-K.

TimWen Lease and Management Fee Payments

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Wendy’s leases restaurant facilities from TimWen, which are then subleased to franchisees for the operation of Wendy’s/Tim Hortons combo units in Canada. Wendy’s paid TimWen $15,713 and $15,148 under these lease agreements during the nine months ended October 1, 2023 and October 2, 2022, respectively, which has been recorded to “Franchise rental expense.” In addition, TimWen paid Wendy’s a management fee under the TimWen joint venture agreement of $181 and $166 during the nine months ended October 1, 2023 and October 2, 2022, respectively, which has been included as a reduction to “General and administrative.”

Transactions with Yellow Cab

Certain family members and affiliates of Mr. Nelson Peltz, our Chairman, and Mr. Peter May, our Senior Vice Chairman, as well as Mr. Matthew Peltz, our Vice Chairman, hold indirect, minority ownership interests in Yellow Cab Holdings, LLC (“Yellow Cab”) and operating companies managed by Yellow Cab, a Wendy’s franchisee, that as of October 1, 2023 owned and operated 83 Wendy’s restaurants. During the nine months ended October 1, 2023 and October 2, 2022, the Company recognized $11,143 and $9,942, respectively, in royalty, advertising fund, lease and other income from Yellow Cab and related entities. As of October 1, 2023 and January 1, 2023, $1,116 and $1,125, respectively, was due from Yellow Cab for such income, which is included in “Accounts and notes receivable, net” and “Advertising funds restricted assets.”

Transactions with AMC

In February 2023, Ms. Kristin Dolan, a director of the Company, was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of AMC Networks Inc. (“AMC”). During the nine months ended October 1, 2023, the Company purchased approximately $1,800 of advertising time from a subsidiary of AMC. As of October 1, 2023, approximately $16 was due to AMC for advertising time, which is included in “Advertising funds restricted liabilities.”