Wendy's says it realized it had 'too many' promotions this summer, confusing customers

Core Insights - Wendy's plans to reduce the number of promotions for the remainder of the year after experiencing challenges with too many initiatives during the summer [1][2] - The company reported earnings per share of $0.29, a 7.4% increase year-on-year, and revenue of $560.9 million, a 1.7% decrease, both exceeding analysts' expectations [3] - Foot traffic to Wendy's locations decreased by 3% compared to the same quarter last year, although this was an improvement from a 4.7% decline in Q1 [8] Promotions and Strategy - The interim CEO highlighted that the summer promotions, while appealing, overwhelmed restaurant teams and confused customers [2] - Future focus will be on chicken innovation and a new beverage lineup, including a collaboration with Netflix for the second season of "Wednesday" [3] Technology and Innovation - Wendy's is expanding its use of voice AI for drive-thru orders, aiming to implement this technology in up to 600 restaurants by the end of 2025 [9] - The company has been testing innovative drive-thru solutions, including food delivery robots in underground tunnels [9] Market Reaction - Following the earnings report, Wendy's shares increased by approximately 1.5% [4]