Wendy's is closing hundreds of restaurants this year. It is also handing out toys and a new banana Frosty.
Those moves sound like opposites. They aim at the same goal, getting customers back in the door.
The chain is teaming up with Illumination. That is the studio behind the Minions.
The studio is a draw on its own. Its recent movies have been box-office hits.
A new Minions movie hits theaters July 1. The meal deal starts sooner, on June 15.
The adult meal has a few parts. You pick a Big Bacon Classic or a new Spicy Chicken Sandwich.
It comes with fries and a small Banana Frosty Swirl. You also get one of four blind-box toys.
The toys come hidden, so you don't know which one you get. That is the same hook that fuels other toy crazes.
There are four adult toys to collect in all. Fans who want the set may visit more than once.
The kids' meal is out now. It packs a drink, a side, and one of six toys.
Those kids' toys feature the film's gang. Wendy's added two new Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks too.
They are called Pineapple Minion MischieFizz and Goomi's Glimey Lime. The names are as silly as they sound.
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The fun hides a tougher backdrop. Wendy's same-store sales, a measure of how older stores do, fell more than 11% in the US late last year.
That drop was worse than Wall Street expected. So the chain is making changes.
Wendy's runs close to 6,000 stores. It may close up to 360 weaker ones.
Its boss has called 2026 a rebuilding year. The company admits it leaned too hard on cheap price deals.
Its stock has been stuck near the low end of its range. Shares trade around $6.84 right now.
A toy deal is a cheap way to spark buzz. It can pull in diners without deep price cuts.
Wendy's also rolled out a new value menu. It has $4, $6, and $8 deals.
The aim is to win back thrifty diners. Cheap promos alone had not done the job.
This is the same trick McDonald's has used for years. The toy becomes the reason a kid drags a parent in.
The adult meal is a newer idea in fast food. Rivals have drawn buzz with grown-up toy boxes.
The blind-box craze is huge right now. Shoppers love the thrill of a surprise toy.
The deal runs for a limited time only. That urgency nudges fans to come in soon.
Movie tie-ins are a proven way to fill seats. The trouble is they don't last.
Wendy's needs every visit it can get right now. Foot traffic is the real prize, since more visits can lift sales without hurting each ticket.
Wendy's hopes the buzz lifts more than dessert sales. A movie crowd might try the new sandwich too.
The real test is what happens after summer. Buzz fades once the Minions leave theaters.
Toys and a banana Frosty can fill seats for a while. Keeping them full is the harder part.
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