The US burger chain Wendy’s has finally revealed plans to reopen in the UK after a 20 year hiatus.

Wendy’s, which is best known for its square patties and its old fashioned take on American fast food, told i it will open a restaurant in Reading in the “first half of this year”.

“I can confirm that Wendy’s plans to open restaurants in the UK in 2021, and that the first three restaurants will be in Reading, Stratford and Oxford,” a spokesperson told i.

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“We are initially developing company owned and operated restaurants in the United Kingdom, and plan to quickly scale and grow our brand across this market.”

Wendy’s was founded in Ohio in 1969 and had a number of locations in central London during the 1990s, but closed them down in 2000 to concentrate on its US business.
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Wendy’s to return to the UK after 20 years with its square burger patties

Now, the brand sees the UK as an ideal market, and plans to open more than 20 sites, many of which will be franchises, in the next few years.

The spokesperson added: “We plan on opening five company restaurants this year, and at the same time we’re recruiting prospective franchisees to grow the brand alongside.”

She said Wendy’s sets itself apart from competitors such as McDonald’s and Burger King.

“The fresh, high quality food that we serve has always been a core differentiator for Wendy’s,” she told i.

“We take a ‘fresh off the grill’ approach, meaning our meals are made to order, including our salads that are prepared fresh every day.”

As well as its square patties in circular buns, Wendy’s serves fried chicken sandwiches, French fries, US-style salads, and milkshakes.