Wendy's Breakfast Is Keeping The Chain Afloat In These Frosty Times

A few months ago, we reported that fast food breakfast sales were looking pretty bleak. But then Wendy's reported that actually its breakfast sales were thriving, despite disappointing sales throughout the rest of the industry and we updated our post accordingly. Now, Restaurant Business reports that Wendy's breakfast isn't just selling well—it's driving business.

While Wendy's took a financial hit in the second quarter, same-store sales actually increased to "high-single digits" in the month of July, largely because of breakfast sales. According to Restaurant Business, Wendy's same-store sales rose a full 7% in the company's third quarter. This trend continued in October, as same-store sales rose 6.6%. Restaurant Business reports that the sales translate to the chain's strongest same-store sales in more than 15 years.

That's the power of the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, baby.

Quick reminder that Wendy's breakfast was introduced in March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. While the pandemic forced restaurant dining rooms to close, Wendy's focused on marketing its breakfast as a tasty drive thru option. So, are customers seeing Wendy's as less of a burger destination and more of a breakfast place? Not necessarily: Restaurant Business also reports that Wendy's post-breakfast sales increased in the third quarter, meaning the company didn't necessarily lose lunch and dinner customers to the breakfast rush. More than anything, the increase in sales is likely due to changing patron behaviors as we navigate dining out in our current hellscape. Nothing a Frosty®-ccino won't fix.