UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


         Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) March 11, 2004


                             TRIARC COMPANIES, INC.
               --------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


    DELAWARE                  1-2207              38-0471180
    -----------------         --------------      --------------
    (State or other           (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
    jurisdiction of           File No.)           Identification No.)
    incorporation of
    organization)

    280 Park Avenue
    New York, New York                                  10017
    --------------------------------            -----------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)


  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:   (212) 451-3000


  -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



Item 5.  Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure

     On March 11, 2004,  Triarc  Companies,  Inc. (the "Company") issued a press
release  announcing  that Jack G. Wasserman has been appointed a director of the
Company effective March 15, 2004.

     The press release  relating to the appointment of Mr. Wasserman is attached
as Exhibit 99.1 to this report.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)      Exhibits

99.1     Press release of Triarc Companies, Inc. dated March 11, 2004.

                                    SIGNATURE
     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                      TRIARC COMPANIES, INC.



                                      By: /s/ Brian L. Schorr
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Brian L. Schorr
                                         Executive Vice President and
                                         General Counsel

Dated:   March 11, 2004




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                    Description

99.1     Press release of Triarc Companies, Inc. dated March 11, 2004






                                                            Exhibit 99.1

                                                     For Immediate Release

CONTACT:  Anne A. Tarbell
          (212) 451-3030
          www.triarc.com

                   JACK G. WASSERMAN TO BE DIRECTOR OF TRIARC

     New York, NY, March 11, 2004 - Triarc  Companies,  Inc. (NYSE:  TRY; TRY.B)
announced  today that Jack G.  Wasserman  has been  appointed  a director of the
Company effective March 15, 2004.

     Mr.  Wasserman,  67, is an attorney admitted to practice before the Supreme
Court of the  United  States  and in New  York,  Florida,  and the  District  of
Columbia.  From 1966 through 2001, Mr. Wasserman was a senior partner in the New
York law firm, Wasserman, Schneider, Babb & Reed, and its predecessors, where he
concentrated  on  commercial  transactions,  primarily  international  trade and
related  matters,  with  particular  emphasis on contracts and the resolution of
disputes.  He also has extensive  experience in the formation and  governance of
not-for-profit corporations.

     Mr. Wasserman is currently a director (and chairman of the Audit Committee)
of American  Property  Investors,  Inc.,  the general  partner of American  Real
Estate  Partners,  L.P.  He is  also a  director  (and  chairman  of  the  Audit
Committee) of National Energy Group, Inc. and a director of Cadus Corporation.

     Mr. Wasserman holds a B.A. from Adelphi University,  a J.D. from Georgetown
University and a Graduate  Diploma from the Johns Hopkins  University  School of
Advanced International Studies.

     Commenting on Mr. Wasserman's appointment, Nelson Peltz, Chairman and Chief
Executive  Officer  of  Triarc,  said:  "We are very  pleased  to have Jack join
Triarc's   Board  of   Directors.   We  look  forward  to  drawing  upon  Jack's
distinguished legal and corporate governance experience."

     Triarc is a holding company and, through its  subsidiaries,  the franchisor
of the  Arby's(R)  restaurant  system  and the  operator  of  approximately  235
restaurants located in the United States.