Wendy’s Changes Name, Arby’s Deal Complete

Independence Day 2011 brought completion of Wendy’s/Arby’s Group’s sale of Arby’s Restaurant Group to affiliates of Roark Capital Group and a new moniker for the burger chain: The Wendy’s Co.

Under the $430 million deal, Wendy’s retains an 18.5% ownership of Arby’s. The majority sale to Roark gives the private equity firm ownership of 3,600 Arby’s restaurants.

Wendy’s CEO Roland Smith said the transaction will allow the company to devote full attention and resources on Wendy’s, including “revitalization of our core menu, expanding breakfast, modernizing our facilities, building new restaurants in the United States and pursuing global expansion.”

Staff currently based in Atlanta will likely return to Wendy’s headquarters back in Dublin, Ohio. The company has more than 6,500 restaurants in the United States and 25 countries and territories.