Transactions with Related Parties

9 Months Ended

Sep. 28, 2025

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 $15,960 and $16,065 under these lease agreements during the nine months ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024, 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 $174 and $179 during the nine months ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024, respectively, which is included as a reduction to “General and administrative.”

Transactions with QSCC

Wendy’s has a purchasing co-op relationship structure with its franchisees that establishes Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc. (“QSCC”). QSCC manages, for the Wendy’s system in the U.S. and Canada, contracts for the purchase and distribution of food, proprietary paper, operating supplies and equipment under national agreements with pricing based upon total system volume. QSCC’s supply chain management facilitates continuity of supply and provides consolidated purchasing efficiencies while monitoring and seeking to minimize possible obsolete inventory throughout the Wendy’s supply chain in the U.S. and Canada.

Wendy’s and its franchisees pay sourcing fees to third-party vendors on certain products sourced by QSCC. Such sourcing fees are remitted by these vendors to QSCC and are the primary means of funding QSCC’s operations. In addition, QSCC collects certain rebates, price variance and other recoveries, technology fees, convention fees and other funding from third-party vendors as part of the administration and management of the Wendy’s supply chain in the U.S. and Canada. Should QSCC’s sourcing fees exceed its expected needs, QSCC’s board of directors may return some or all of the excess to its members in the form of a patronage dividend. Wendy’s recorded its share of patronage dividends of $118 during the nine months ended September 28, 2025, all of which is included as a reduction of “Cost of sales.” Wendy’s recorded its share of patronage dividends of $3,493 during the nine months ended September 29, 2024, of which $2,909 is included in “Other operating income, net” and $584 is included as a reduction of “Cost of sales.”

Transactions with Yellow Cab

Certain family members and/or affiliates of Mr. Nelson Peltz, our former Chairman and Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Peter May, our Senior Vice Chairman, and Mr. Matthew Peltz, our former Vice Chairman, hold minority ownership interests in Yellow Cab Holdings, LLC (“Yellow Cab”), a Wendy’s franchisee that, as of September 28, 2025 owned and operated 89 Wendy’s restaurants, and/or certain of the operating companies managed by Yellow Cab. In addition, Mr. Bradley Peltz, a director of the Company, is a Managing Director of, and holds a minority ownership interest in, Yellow Cab. During the nine months ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024, the Company recognized $11,491 and $11,397, respectively, in royalty, advertising fund, lease and other income from Yellow Cab and related entities. In all transactions involving Yellow Cab, the Company’s standard franchisee recruiting and approval processes were followed, no modifications were made to the Company’s standard franchise agreements or related documents, and all deal terms and transaction documents were negotiated and executed on an arm’s-length basis, consistent with the Company’s comparable franchise transactions and relationships. As of September 28, 2025 and December 29, 2024, $1,050 and $1,132, 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

Ms. Kristin Dolan, a director of the Company, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of AMC Networks Inc. (“AMC”). During the nine months ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024, the Company purchased approximately $800 and $1,600, respectively, of advertising time from a subsidiary of AMC. The Company’s advertising spend with AMC was made in the ordinary course of business and approved on an arm’s-length basis, consistent with the Company’s comparable advertising decisions. As of September 28, 2025 and December 29, 2024, approximately $15 and $17, respectively, was due to AMC for such advertising time, which is included in “Advertising funds restricted liabilities.”