US fast food chain Wendy's to open 200 restaurants in Australia

The move has been in the works for some time with the chain calling for Australian franchisees in 2022, following the success of a Sydney pop-up event in 2021.

A new master franchise agreement has been signed with US franchise operator Flynn Restaurant Group to exclusively develop the restaurants down under.

In a statement Wendy's said the agreement would "drive growth" in Australia from 2025 and planned to have 200 restaurants in operation by 2034.

Wendy's was founded in 1969 in the US state of Ohio and offers a typical fast food menu including burgers, fries and milkshakes.

There are more than 7000 Wendy's restaurants globally.

Abigail Pringle from The Wendy's Company said Australia was a "strategic market for long-term growth for Wendy's".

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Flynn Restaurant Group is the largest restaurant franchisee in the US and operates 2600 stores across the US and Australia including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Wendy's.

The group's COO Ron Bellamy said Wendy's was a good 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 [quick service restaurants]," he said.