Wendy's

Wendy's is an American international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. As of March 1999, Wendy's was the world's third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,650 locations, following Burger King's 12,000+ locations and McDonald's' 31,000+ locations.  Approximately 85% of Wendy's restaurants are franchised, all of which are located in North America. Wendy's and its affiliates employ more than 47,000 people in its global operations. In fiscal year 2006, the firm had $2.469 billion (USD) in total sales. While Wendy's sets standards for exterior store appearance, food quality and menu, individual owners have control over hours of operations, interior decor, pricing and staff uniforms and wages.

Wendy's menu consists primarily of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries and beverages, including the Frosty. Unlike Burger King and McDonald's, the company does not have a signature sandwich, such as the Whopper or the Big Mac. Instead, it has the Dave's Hot 'N Juicy 1/4 lb. Single (introduced in 2011 as a reworking of the longstanding Wendy's Single), a square-pattied burger made with fresh ground beef rather than round frozen patties. Wendy's uses these square hamburger patties as its signature item.