Wendy's
Flagged · AvoidOne of the world's largest fast food chains, known for its square hamburger patties, Frosty desserts, and more than 6,700 locations across 30-plus countries.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:Labor
- Wendy's is the only major fast food chain in the US that has refused to join the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Fair Food Program, which protects farmworkers from wage theft, sexual harassment, and modern slavery. After the program expanded into Florida's tomato fields, Wendy's stopped purchasing Florida tomatoes altogether and shifted its supply to Mexico, where workers lack comparable protections.
- A Wendy's franchise operator in Pennsylvania was fined $300,000 by state regulators for 766 child labor violations in 2023, including denying legally required breaks to more than 80 minor employees across 21 restaurant locations.
- Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey reached a $400,000 settlement with Wendy's International for child labor violations at 46 corporate-owned restaurant locations across the state.
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