DUBLIN, Ohio (WKRC) – Fast food giant Wendy’s announced Thursday it will close 140 underperforming locations.

Wendy’s is closing 140 underperforming restaurants through the end of the year, according to Restaurant Business Online (RBO). The outlet reported that the company hopes the closures will strengthen the overall health of the company and prepare it for growth in the coming years.

The closures will impact both franchises and businesses, per RBO. The company announced the closures during a third-quarter earnings call.

The decision was made as a result of a review of individual Wendy’s locations to ensure they “meet our sales expectations, have the profitability to drive growth and deliver the Wendy’s brand experience to customers,” CEO Kirk Tanner said during the earnings call. per socket.

“We designed this initiative to ensure that over time many of these units will be replaced by new restaurants in better locations with significantly improved revenue and profitability,” Tanner said, according to RBO.

According to the outlet, Wendy’s saw its sales improve from last quarter, thanks in part to the success of the “SpongeBob” Krabby Patty promotion, which has performed better than the company expected.

“It’s really built from our core menu,” Tanner told analyst, according to RBO. “The Krabby Patty burger is built on that square, fresh, never frozen patty. And of course using our Frosty is always a game changer.”

It is still unclear which locations will close.