System Optimization Gains, Net

9 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2020

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

System Optimization Gains, Net

System Optimization Gains, Net

The Company’s system optimization initiative includes a shift from Company-operated restaurants to franchised restaurants over time, through acquisitions and dispositions, as well as facilitating franchisee-to-franchisee restaurant transfers (“Franchise Flips”). As of January 1, 2017, the Company completed its plan to reduce its ongoing Company-operated restaurant ownership to approximately 5% of the total system. While the Company has no plans to reduce its ownership below the approximately 5% level, the Company expects to continue to optimize the Wendy’s system through Franchise Flips, as well as evaluating strategic acquisitions of franchised restaurants and strategic dispositions of Company-operated restaurants to existing and new franchisees, to further strengthen the franchisee base, drive new restaurant development and accelerate reimages. During the nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019, the Company facilitated 22 and three Franchise Flips, respectively. The Company expects to sell 43 Company-operated restaurants in New York to franchisees in the first quarter of 2021. The Company expects to retain its Company-operated restaurants in Manhattan.

Gains and losses recognized on dispositions are recorded to “System optimization gains, net” in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. Costs related to acquisitions and dispositions under our system optimization initiative are recorded to “Reorganization and realignment costs,” which are further described in Note 6. All other costs incurred related to facilitating Franchise Flips are recorded to “Franchise support and other costs.”

The following is a summary of the disposition activity recorded as a result of our system optimization initiative:

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 27, 2020		September 29, 2019		September 27, 2020		September 29, 2019
Post-closing adjustments on sales of restaurants (a)	$	23	$	1,033	$	368	$	1,087
Gain on sales of other assets, net (b)	—		7		1,965		75
System optimization gains, net	$	23	$	1,040	$	2,333	$	1,162

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(a)The three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 represent the recognition of deferred gains as a result of the resolution of certain contingencies related to the extension of lease terms for restaurants previously sold to franchisees. The three and nine months ended September 29, 2019 include the recognition of such deferred gains of $911.

(b)During the nine months ended September 27, 2020, the Company received net cash proceeds of $3,570, and during the three and nine months ended September 29, 2019, received cash proceeds of $798 and $2,038, respectively, primarily from the sale of surplus and other properties.

Assets Held for Sale

	September 27, 2020		December 29, 2019
Number of restaurants classified as held for sale	43		—
Net restaurant assets held for sale (a)	$	20,178	$	—
Other assets held for sale (b)	$	2,817	$	1,437

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(a)Net restaurant assets held for sale include the New York Company-operated restaurants we expect to sell in the first quarter of 2021 and consist primarily of cash, inventory, property and an estimate of allocable goodwill.

(b)Other assets held for sale primarily consist of surplus properties.

Assets held for sale are included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets.”