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Hello, hamburger loving friends!
If you’ve come to this site wondering, “Is there a Wendy’s in the UK?” or maybe even, “Is there a Wendy’s in London?” then I have just the article you’re searching for.
Well, first I have some products I think you could definitely use like a cheeseburger pillow and hamburger slippers, because, duh, priorities.
Or, if you want to surprise someone with a Wendy’s Gift Card – or, heck, treat yourself(!!) – click here.
But after that, I want you to know that I know that Wendy’s is the epitome of what it means to be an American.
When you see that red headed girl on top of that sign and the smell of fries and milkshakes starts wafting through the air, you know that you’re home.
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So…
“Is there a Wendy’s in the UK?”
Yes, there is!
I’m going to give you the full rundown of Wendy’s in the UK , but before I do, check out these other posts all about visiting and living in the UK.
Firstly, no matter your reason for being here, you need the best book on living in the UK for Americans ever written – the book is called “Girl Gone London: An American’s Guide to Surviving Life in the UK” and you should click here and check it out.
I also may have written it, so I’m biased.
But truly, if you’re coming to the UK as an expat, a study abroad student, or even a visitor, my guide to life in the UK contains both personal anecdotes and maybe too-honest experiences, as well as resources and advice on topics ranging from homesickness in the UK (or how not to rage book a flight to America like I did), driving in the UK, being a student in the UK, and more practical advice about bank accounts, buying houses, and more.
It’s truly a one stop shop for all of the weirdness and wonderfulness (is that a word?) that comes along with life in the UK, and also there is plenty of opportunity to laugh at me as I share all of my expat fails so there’s that.
- Culture Shock: The Things We Don’t Talk About
- An American Girl’s Guide to Surviving the London Underground
- Understanding UK Money: Pence, Not Cents!
- Driving in England as an American: An Apology to UK Drivers
Right, so, if you’re hoping to dip your fries into a Frosty and enjoy that classic square hamburger, you can now do it in the UK as of 2021!
Now, how did we get here?
Wendy’s has a unique history in the UK.
If you go back to 2000, Wendy’s in London was a real possibility as the company looked to purchase properties and open franchises in England’s capital city.
But high property costs made Wendy’s pull completely out of the UK, and in its place were McDonald’s and other UK specific companies.
Wendy’s then went quiet on its plans to expand into the UK for almost 20 years.
Recessions hit the worldwide economy, the British public didn’t seem particularly interested in additional fast food hamburger restaurants, and it seemed like there was no hope for American expats craving the deliciousness that is a square hamburger patty.
This all changed, however, in July of 2017, when Wendy’s hosted a one-day pop-up event in London.
There was a limited menu of hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes, and the pop-up was only open for about 4 hours, but it was enough to make local business owners and London residents feel that maybe, someday, there could be a chance that Wendy’s in the UK wouldn’t be a question, but a fact.
It makes sense, really, as hamburger fast food places have started to become more popular in the UK, including American franchises like Five Guys.
The lines out the door at Five Guys in London when it first opened were insane, and it still draws plenty of crowds, from Americans overseas to Brits who have gotten a taste for it.
In 2021, Wendy’s decided to try their hand again at establishing restaurants in the UK with the first one in Reading, and others in Stratford, Croydon, Oxford, and Romford.
There are big plans for 50+ Wendy’s in the UK in total, so stay tuned!
Now, if you do find yourself in London or the UK, you’re going to want to read up on some of the other franchises and companies that you may or may not find here.
You need to be prepared, after all, and there’s no sadness like realizing you’ve flown 4,000 miles to a severe lack of Outback Steakhouse bread, am I right?
So to help you make your way around and know what to expect, here’s a list of the essentials.
Fast Food
The UK has…
–Dominoes
–McDonald’s
–Burger King
-Pizza Hut
-KFC
The UK doesn’t have…
–Arbys
–Chick-Fil-A (if you like Chick-Fil-A, you should really check out this book about the building of the company)
–White Castle
Sit-down restaurants
The UK has…
The UK doesn’t have…
–Tijuana Flats
–Carrabas
–Outback Steakhouse (if you love Outback like I do, grab you and your friends a gift card for a great excuse to have a great evening!)
Big Stores
The UK has…
–Costco, though people say it isn’t as good of a value and not quite the same
–Walmart-owned ASDA, which isn’t exactly the same as a Walmart but pretty close
The UK doesn’t have…
–Macy’s (FYI, you should check out this book on the history of Macy’s – it’s a great read, with lots of photographs and illustrations to boot)
–Nordstrom (grab yourself a Nordstrom Gift Card here for a great last-minute Christmas or Birthday present!)
The grocery store names are also different, with no overlap between the US and the UK.
You won’t find Publix (for Floridians), Giant (for you mid-Atlanticers!), Kroger (looking at you, southern states!) or any other popular grocery store in your area.
You also won’t find Walgreens or CVS, but instead a different brand name for drugstores including Superdrug and Boots.
And when you need a store with lots of “stuff,” you can go to “Argos,” where you essentially order things from a catalog and then they are brought to you.
Read more in my full guide comparing UK and US stores and restaurants.
Want to know more about US stores in the UK? Check this list out!
- Is there a Costco in London or the UK?
- Is there a Target in London or the UK?
- Is there a Shoe Carnival in London or the UK?
- Is there a Duane Reade in London or the UK?
- Is there a Books-a-Million in London or the UK?
- Is there a Giant in London or the UK?
- Is there a Justice store in London or in the UK?
- Is there a PacSun in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Barnes and Noble in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Pottery Barn in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Chase Bank in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Banana Republic in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Arby’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Children’s Place in London or in the UK?
- Is there a 7 Eleven in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Hot Topic in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Applebee’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Disney World in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Bath and Body Works in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Bank of America in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Panda Express in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Boston Market in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Sam’s Club in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Wawa in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Trader Joe’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Safeway in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Sears in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Wegman’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a TJMaxx in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Kroger in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Little Ceasars in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Dick’s Sporting Good in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Panera Bread in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Cheesecake Factory in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Johnny Rocket’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Wells Fargo in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Chuck E Cheese in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Sonic in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Waffle House in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Red Lobster in London or in the UK?
- Is there an IHOP in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Chili’s in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Goodwill in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Popeyes in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Old Navy in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Dillards in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Walgreens in London or in the UK?
- Is there a CVS in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Ulta in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Best Buy in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Kmart in London or in the UK?
- Is there a JCPenney in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Publix in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Marshalls in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Nordstrom in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Lowes in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Bed Bath and Beyond in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Taco Bell in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Dairy Queen in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Steak n Shake in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Hobby Lobby in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Sephora in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Macys in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Ross in London or in the UK?
- Is there an American Eagle in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Petsmart in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Michaels in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Olive Garden in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Chick Fil A in London or in the UK?
- Is there an Outback Steakhouse in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Chipotle in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Kohls in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Starbucks in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Home Depot in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Walmart in London or in the UK?
- Is there a Dollar Store in London or in the UK?
- Is there an In-N-Out Burger in London or in the UK?
I stumbled upon a Wendy’s once in London. It might have been 99 or 00. It had a basement dining area. My buddy dropped his frosty on the way downstairs. He was devastated.
That would be the one at Picadilly Circus, that is now a McDonalds
Your list of American fast food in the UK left out Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). As Harland Sanders invented the chicken pressure fryer which is used in nearly all chicken shacks in the world, not just KFC, I think his company deserves a mention. Much more deserving of a place than McDonald’s who simply stole an idea from White Castle and added thick milkshakes to the menu, and McD is on your list.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the thoughts – I will add KFC to the list!
I randomly found out that Boots is actually owned by Walgreens! I feel like Boots is a little more expensive but it can be super similar.
Hi Val,
That’s really interesting! I did not know that. Thanks for the information!
I really miss Wendy’s, the food was far superior to any of its peers. I didn’t live in London at the time, but used to call in there when I was passing through.
Aside from the branches they had in central London in Oxford Street, and Piccadilly Circus (probably why they balked at the rent back then being two of the most expensive areas), they had some odd locations. One was near where my grandmother lived in Belfast, situated in a quiet street.
We visited there a few times when I took the family to Orlando. Still as good as I remember it.
Hopefully, like the author suggests, they will give the UK another go.
There was a Wendy’s restaurant inside heathrow airports terminal 3 arrivals for years up until around 2002.
Thanks, Ed. I wonder if they will ever make a return…
There used to be a Wendy’s in Uxbridge, used to go there occasionally back in ’97.
I worked for them as a manager around 87-88, they were by far the best burgers, freshly cooked and with Jackets that can make your mouth water , sadly they expanded too fast, I remembered opening Southampton, Bracknell and Slough, they simply picked locations out of desperation rather than what the town needed and these branches drained the profits faster than a sieve, and few years later they start to shut, lack of traffics plus high rent and rate, the Americans who came to manage the UK operation are some of the nicest people, I got to spent a lot of time with them at the HQ at Cambridge Circus as the restaurant is below (Now Shake Shake).
Whenever I travel to the US, I always make it my number one stop, closely follow by Popeyes.
Oh boy, I do miss them !!!
Wow Mel! What a cool story – Wendy’s are the best!
There were a scattering of Wendy’s outlets in England in the mid 90’s. I used to go to the one near Leicester city attached to the local Cinema/Odeon park. As an expat Canadian I was excited to stumble upon this outlet. I even turned my English nephews/nieces on to Wendy’s. Alas, the chain never marketed/advertised itself and Brits simply didn’t know what Wendy’s was and how good it was. There was also one near Piccadilly in London. By the end of the 90’s they’d all disappeared. How utterly sad! They’re far better than MCDonalds of Burger King!!
Can’t remember the exact year, but it would have been about ’82. There was one in Lewisham (South East London). Myself and my friends used to eat there all the time.
Nothing like it before, nothing like it since. The best by far – all cooked fresh, rather than steam heating pre-cooked burgers.
Would love them back.
Thanks, Dave.
My husband prefers Wendy’s over other fast food burger places. I am not sure on McDonald’s and Burger King’s cooking approaches, but he insists Wendy’s tastes better. Maybe that is why!
Hi Steve,
This is interesting, but also sad to know! As an American, I would love to see Wendy’s in the UK just to give me a little injection of back home!
Thank God, no Wendy’s in the UK.
I have just done a Market Research survey that implies Wendy’s may be considering the UK. The survey had mocked prices in pounds.
Hi Alan,
Thanks for the information! This is interesting. Maybe they will make a comeback here. I certainly hope so!
I currently live in Reading, and there’s a Wendy’s location near the train station.