Wendy's bringing famous square burgers to Ireland as new restaurant set to open
The American fast-food chain has confirmed its first Irish location in almost four decades
Wendy's operates more than 6,000 stores in the US. Photo: Creative Commons
Wendy's, renowned for its square hamburgers and 'Frosty' desserts, revealed this morning that it will open the restaurant in October, at Mahon Point Shopping Centre on the outskirts of the city.
This comes over a year after the initial announcement that the chain – whose 1980s slogan, 'Where's the beef?', has become part of pop culture folklore – would be entering Ireland through a partnership with Corrib Oil.
However, the first outlet will not be located at any of Corrib's petrol stations nationwide, but instead at Mahon Point Shopping Centre, which was Ireland's largest when it opened in February 2005.
Wendy's has confirmed that it will use 100pc fresh Irish beef and chicken across the menu, which includes a variety of breakfast and children's options, as well as its square burgers.
A Wendy's restaurant in the US
The opening, which will create 50 jobs in the area, is the first of an expected 10 branches nationwide from the fast-food giant, which operates more than 7,100 restaurants globally, generating $2.24billion (€1.9bn) in revenue last year.
'Ireland is a great market for long-term growth, and we're proud to see our brand come to life here through our partnership with Corrib Oil. Their deep roots in the community and commitment to operational excellence make them an ideal partner to deliver the Wendy's 'globally great, locally even better' experience,' said Michael Clarke, European managing director for Wendy's.
Justin Young, centre director of Mahon Point Shopping Centre, said: 'To be part of bringing the very first Wendy's restaurant to Ireland is really special.
'This opening is fantastic news for Cork – not only does it create 50 new local jobs, but it also gives people the chance to enjoy the craveable, high-quality food Wendy's is famous for.'
This is not Wendy's first foray into Ireland. In 1981, the chain opened its first store on Grafton Street in Dublin, followed five years later by a store on North Earl Street. At the time, the chain even considered adapting the full Irish breakfast as part of its worldwide menu.
In the UK, Wendy's offers a range of menu options at varying prices, generally ranking slightly higher than McDonald's or Burger King.
For example, the Wendy's Jr Cheeseburger Deluxe sells for £2.89 (€3.41) in the UK, while comparable items at McDonald's and Burger King cost €1.70 and £1.99 (€2.35) respectively.
At €12.85, Wendy's Baconator is nearly double the price of a Double Whopper at Burger King, and a large fries costs €4.12, compared to €3.06 at McDonald's and €4.00 at Burger King.
Wendy's also offers an extensive breakfast menu, including savoury croissants, bacon sandwiches and pain au chocolat, alongside a selection of coffees, teas, and its signature flavoured iced 'Frostyccino' coffees.
Fans of American cuisine will be delighted by this announcement. And if the chaotic opening of Krispy Kreme in Blanchardstown in 2018 is any indication, expect long queues on opening day if you want to get your hands on a square burger.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
20 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Five cheesemaker-farmers from Munster celebrate Great Taste Awards
Munster cheesemaker-farmers are celebrating, after a string of top awards in the Great Taste 2025 championship. Five cheesemakers, from Tipperary to West Cork, were among the top echelon of 273 that secured three-star awards out of 14,340 Great Taste entries, from more than 3,611 companies across 110 countries. J&L Grubb • Three award-winning cheeses this year bring J & L Grubb Ltd/Cashel Blue to a growing tally of Great Taste awards. They have been have been hand-crafting the original Irish farmhouse blue cheese and other cheeses on their family farm near Fethard, Co Tipperary, for 40 years. 'A great endorsement, it seems Tipperary is on a roll', was their reaction, when they received three stars for both their Crozier Blue and Cashel Blue cheeses in the 2025 Great Taste Awards. That puts both in the top 1.9% of the products from around the world that go through a rigorous blind-judging by more than 500 industry experts, including chefs, food critics, technologists, retailers, and food writers. Jane and Louis Grubb of Cashel Blue Cheese in Co Tipperary receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Food Writers Guild in March of this year. Picture: Paul Sherwood The judging process takes more than 110 days, at venues in England, Ireland, and Italy. Cashel Blue, created by Jane and Louis Grubb, comes from the cows on Beechmount Farm. It was also a three-star winner in 2024, and one of three one-star winners for the company in 2023, along with Signature Tastes Cashel Blue and Specially Selected Cashel Blue. This year, there was also a one-star Great Taste award for Deluxe Mature Cashel Blue. Crozier Blue cheese comes from the milk of Friesland ewes on the Co Wicklow farm of George and Hannah Finlay. Toons Bridge Dairy • Also 'over the moon' after this year's Great Taste Awards were Toby Simmonds and Jenny-Rose Clarke of the Toons Bridge Dairy at Kilbarry, Macroom, Co Cork. The Greek-style cheese that they recently started making in their dairy from the milk of their herd of water buffalo was awarded three stars. There was a two-star award for the cultured butter made from the cream left behind after making fior di latte (mozzarella made from cow's milk, rather than from buffalo milk). The butter contains all the cultures of traditional mozzarella-making. There was a one-star award for the loomi frying cheese made with cow's milk and vegetarian rennet at Toons Bridge Dairy, using milk purchased from local dairy farms. The Toons Bridge Dairy team said: 'Thank you so much to the wonderful team in our cheese room and the packers, order fillers, van drivers, invoice writers, patient neighbours, buffalo milkers, cows' milk suppliers, milk collectors, fence fixers, boiler repairers, well pump fixers, whey collectors, slurry tank emptiers, lime spreaders, hay savers, to mention just a few, and not forgetting the amazing buffaloes and cows that produce the beautiful milk it all begins with. It really does take a village!' Their other business, The Real Olive Company, importers and producers of authentic Mediterranean olives, oils, pastes, cheeses, meats, and fish, earned a two-star award this year for Garlic And Fresh Thyme Dressed Olives, and a one-star award for their 12-year balsamic vinegar. Macroom Buffalo Cheese • Also in the Macroom area, three stars were awarded to the Macroom Buffalo Ricotta from Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products, Kilnamartyra, a long-standing Irish high performer in the Great Taste Awards. Having imported 31 buffaloes from Northern Italy and started making buffalo cheese in 2009, the Lynch family opened a state-of-the-art production facility on their main farm 10 years ago, to produce the largest range of buffalo cheese and yoghurt in Ireland from the milk of their much-expanded herd of grass-fed buffalo. Their herd of over 750 buffalo is spread across 640 acres in the Macroom area. Durrus Cheese • There were three stars also for Durrus Óg, a cheese made by Durrus Cheese, near Bantry in West Cork. Jeffa Gill began making cheese on her farm in 1979 and, 46 years on, the Durrus Cheese range is still made by hand. Cooleeney Cheese • Cooleeney Cheese, Thurles, were also among the Great Taste 2025 winners, awarded two stars for Gleann Óir, and one star each for Darú and Signature Tastes Cooleeney Cheese. There are two stars also this year for the St Tola Karst product from Inagh Farmhouse Cheese, Ennistymon, Co Clare. Only 1,508 of the 14,340 Great Taste entries secured two-star status.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Major cheese company confirms closure of Irish manufacturing plant in Laois as 132 jobs under threat
The confirmed closure of the manufacturing plant is set to occur in the second half of 2026 WORK WOES Major cheese company confirms closure of Irish manufacturing plant in Laois as 132 jobs under threat A MAJOR cheese company has confirmed their plans to close a manufacturing plant in Portlaoise in the second half of next year. The US cheese company Leprino Foods has announced its closure plans for the manufacturing plant in Co Laois, which currently employs around 132 Irish employees. The firm, which produces mozzarella and string cheese, said the "difficult" decision was taken after a "comprehensive evaluation" of all possible options to improve the financial and operational performance of the Portlaoise plant. Some 132 staff work at the Laois site. The confirmed closure of the manufacturing plant is set to occur in the second half of 2026. In a statement, Chief Executive of Leprino Europe Paul Vernon said: "Despite considerable efforts, the level of sustainable improvement needed could not be achieved. "Closing the site will help ensure that Leprino can remain competitive while optimising its manufacturing footprint to continue meeting the evolving needs of customers. 'We understand the impact this announcement will have on our colleagues, their families, and the local community. 'We want to express our sincere gratitude to the talented team at Portlaoise. This decision does not lessen the value of their hard work or contributions.' Leprino said it will provide enhanced redundancy packages as well as career transition assistance to employees. It is also understood the current production in Portlaoise will be transitioned to other European sites in Magheralin in Northern Ireland and Llangefni in Wales. They added: "The company will provide enhanced redundancy packages, career transition assistance, and regular updates to ensure transparency at every stage." 'CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES' "In parallel to the above we will continue to explore opportunities for the site with any potentially interested third parties." Leprino has only been in operation in Portlaoise since 2020. It started as a family-owned company in Denver, Colorado, in 1950 when Mike Leprino Sr started making mozzarella cheese for his family's corner grocery shop. Leprino is now one of the largest producers of mozzarella cheese in the world, and also supplies lactose, whey protein, micellar casein, and sweet whey. It employs more than 5,500 people globally and has global sales in 80 countries.
Irish Post
4 hours ago
- Irish Post
Family of Irish yoghurt producers in Wexford star in new Marks and Spencer advert
A YOGHURT-PRODUCING family in Co. Wexford are the stars of a new Marks and Spencer advert. The Dunne family supply premium Irish yoghurts to the British supermarket chain from their dairy farm in Enniscorthy. Now in the family for nine generations, the Killowen Farm has been in operation for more than 20 years. Pictured (l-r) at the Killowen Farm in Co. Wexford are Mark Moriarty, Charlie Dunne, Pauline Dunne and Nicholas Dunne It is run by Nicholas Dunne, his sister Pauline, his son Charlie, and the wider family circle. Their work features in the latest and final instalment of the M&S Farm to Foodhall campaign, has which followed M&S Food Ambassador Mark Moriarty as he visited the firm's suppliers across Ireland, showcasing how the producers deliver their higher quality Irish produce. In this final instalment Moriarty meets Nicholas and Pauline and gives viewers an insight into the cows' natural environment, their green grass grazing, the care and attention that goes into rearing the animals and how this translates to the quality and flavour of the yogurt found in the M&S Foodhall. "It was a privilege to connect with Nicholas, Pauline, and their extended family at their Wexford dairy farm,' Moriarty said. 'Witnessing firsthand the passion infused into every M&S yogurt truly exemplifies their dedication to delivering the finest quality produce,' he added. 'There's something special about enjoying a product that is created right there on the family's dairy farm whilst surrounded by the animals and beauty of nature. 'With sensational flavours and deliciously creamy yogurt, it is cultivators like the Dunnes who ensure consumers have access to exceptional products when they shop at M&S.' Laura Harper, Trading Director for M&S Ireland and Northern Ireland said: 'Our Farm to Foodhall campaign concludes by celebrating the outstanding contributions of the Dunne family Farm in Co. Wexford. 'We are thrilled to share their story, guaranteeing our customers consistently delicious and high-quality yogurt with exclusive flavours designed for M&S shoppers." See More: Dairy Farm, MS, Wexford, Yoghurt
