American fast-food chain Wendy's is set to open up four new flagship restaurants in the UK, following its hotly-anticipated return to British shores earlier this year.
The US burger chain, known for its square hamburgers, announced this week that it will be opening its second UK restaurant in Stratford on August 27, as well as a further 10 branches across the country later this year.
The menu will feature familiar fan favourites including the Baconator, Dave's Single, spicy chicken sandwich and the iconic Frosty dessert, alongside new UK exclusives such as the veggie stack, veggie bites, and avocado veggie salad.
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After closing its doors here in 1999, the legendary burger chain returned to the UK for the first time in 21 years in June, with its first new outlet opening in Reading, Surrey.
At the time, Wendy's said it wanted to open more restaurants in the country in due course, with a spokesperson for the company saying: "Our first location is in Reading and we are exploring additional opportunities in the London area."
The brand then confirmed that there would be another three new restaurant openings in Oxford, Croydon and Romford before the end of the year, as well as further 10 branches across the UK.
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However, these 10 restaurants will be delivery-only 'dark' kitchens, which could be run from a variety of locations, including trucks, railway arches, and industrial estate units.
Wendy's is the first major fast-food company to launch dark kitchens in Britain, although the concept was initially trialled by McDonald's in 2019.
Abigail Pringle, the president of Wendy's international business, said the dark kitchen sites would form part of a plan to eventually have up to 400 branches in the UK.
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The dark kitchens would initially all be in London, before expanding to other areas of the country, and that the first of these sites would be open 'within weeks'.
The move will enable Britons to get a Wendy's meal delivered to their door via Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and other delivery specialists, after being successfully trialled in the US and Canada.
Featured Image Credit: PA