The Wendy's Co. and REEF will open and operate 700 delivery kitchens over the next five years across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. REEF is the largest operator of delivery kitchens in North America.
This comes after a successful test of eight delivery kitchens in Canada beginning in late 2020. Wendy's and REEF expect to open approximately 50 delivery kitchens in 2021, with the remainder launched by 2025.
"The demand for convenient delivery solutions means we must look for opportunities beyond our traditional restaurant formats, especially in dense urban areas," said Abigail Pringle, Wendy's president, international and chief development officer, in a statement. "This partnership with REEF is testimony to our ambitions, the potential we see to grow our beloved brand and our quest to reach more customers in more ways."
Related: Kroger Launches On-Premise Ghost Kitchen; Ghost Kitchens Come to Apartment Communities.
Image: Wendy's