Metro Atlanta will soon lose yet another Wendy's restaurant. The Wendy's at 3383 Buford Highway in an outparcel of Northeast Plaza is due to close by the end of May. The restaurant, which property records indicate was built in 1974, never received the brand's popular "image activation" renovation and still looks like a 70s era restaurant.
Brixmor, owner of Northeast Plaza, ultimately plans to redevelop the large, 50s era, more than 40 acre center, but those plans and a specific timeline are still being finalized. That said, the firm is looking to lease the soon to be former Wendy's but is reportedly only planning to offer a short-term lease. The company has already updated its site plan to reflect the 2,441 square foot Wendy's as "available." The building sits on .6 of an acre and includes an all important drive-thru.
Other outparcels at Northeast Plaza include a Taco Bell, Pollo Campero in a former Popeyes, a J Buffalo Wings in a former Long John Silver's, and even a freestanding Pizza Hut, a rarity in today's world.
Based in Dublin, Ohio, Wendy's, which proudly touts its burgers are square because they don't cut corners, is the second largest quick-serve burger chain in the U.S. when ranked by sales. This puts it behind industry leader McDonald's but ahead of the struggling Burger King.
According to the Wendy's website, Georgia is currently home to 298 Wendy's restaurants, making it the company's fourth largest market by unit count with only Florida (538), Texas (465), and Ohio (407) with more Wendy's locations. That said, the company has seen many of its intown and metro Atlanta restaurants close in recent years.
Metro Atlanta Wendy's closures include the following locations:
3146 Peachtree Road in Buckhead (now PNC Bank)
1861 Peachtree Street (now Starbucks)
1820 Peachtree Street (now The Brookwood condo building)
6350 Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs (now Starbucks)
6240 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs (now Truist Bank)
11855 Alpharetta Highway in Roswell (becoming a medical facility)
10475 Alpharetta Street in Roswell (now TitleMax)
3120 Johnson Ferry Road in East Cobb (now Piedmont Urgent Care)
2773 Evans Mill Road in Lithonia (demolished and rebuilt as a Burger King)
7215 Stonecrest Parkway in Lithonia (now Lithonia Pediatric Dentistry)
2545 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur (now City Gear)
5653 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain (now Wings 101)
3892 LaVista Road in Tucker (now Fork in the Road, a local restaurant)
1100 North Point Drive (vacant)
13794 Highway 9 in Milton (becoming Fifth Third Bank)
4600 South Atlanta Road in Smyrna (demolished and vacant)
125 University Avenue in southwest Atlanta (destroyed by fire and later demolished, now vacant)
Wendy's also previously operated restaurants in the food courts of both Northlake Mall and North DeKalb Mall, among other local malls.
To be fair, the company still operates several units in metro Atlanta including those along North Druid Hills Road in Toco Hills, Howell Mill Road in West Midtown, Piedmont Road in Piedmont Heights, Marietta Boulevard in the "Upper Westside," Perimeter Center West in Sandy Springs, and Moreland Avenue in East Atlanta, among others.
A Sandy Springs area Wendy's that was heavily damaged by fire in early 2014 finally reopened in 2017.
It's worth noting, too, that rivals McDonald's, Burger King and Hardee's have also closed more than two dozen locations in metro Atlanta in recent years as all burger chains vie for market share and work to trim under-performing units.
What would you like to see open in place of the Wendy's at Northeast Plaza? Which is your favorite fast-food burger? Who do you think makes the best French fries?
Please share your thoughts below.