Wendy's plans to open up to 400 restaurants across the UK selling its famous square burgers

• Wendy's is relaunching in the UK, with the first location set to open in Reading in June.
• The sites will sell the chain's famous burgers, alongside some new vegetarian menu items.
• Wendy's said the UK relaunch would "spearhead" a European-wide expansion.

Wendy's is bringing its burgers back to the UK.

The fast-food chain plans to open up to 400 restaurants across the country, with the first location opening in the English town of Reading in June.

It left the UK market around 20 years ago, but plans to return with a tailored menu alongside its US classics.

Wendy's, which already has around 6,800 sites globally, said its relaunch in the UK would "spearhead" a European-wide expansion. It currently operates in around 30 countries.

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"Wendy's looks to build on strong growth on the other side of the Atlantic, where the brand last year dethroned Burger King to become the number two player in the US hamburger market," it said in a statement shared with Insider.

It said that it would adapt its menu to the British market, including more vegetarian options. It said menu items would include its famous "Dave" burger with a quarter-pound of beef, its chocolate Frosty milkshake, and its spicy chicken sandwich. It will also serve its breakfast menu, which includes croissants and coffee, as well as its "Baconator" bacon burger.

Wendy's previously had around 10 restaurants in the UK, but exited the market in 2001, citing high operating costs.

The Reading location is opening on June 2, with sites in Stratford and Oxford opening in the second half of 2021. It told The Mirror it plans to open at least two more restaurants this year, but wouldn't name the locations.

People will also be able to order Wendy's for delivery through a deal with Uber Eats.

It said the UK expansion would create at least 12,000 jobs, including at least 1,000 over the next two years, and added it wouldn't use zero-hour contracts.

Wendy's is joining other fast-food chains expanding to the UK to tap into soaring demand for takeout.

Fried-chicken chain Popeyes plans to open 350 restaurants over the next 10 years, while Canadian coffee and donut chain Tim Hortons said it wants to have branch in "every major city and town" in the UK by late 2022.