Faced with a new $15.15 statewide minimum wage—and significantly higher local mandates in Flagstaff and Tucson—national giants are aggressively pruning their “legacy” footprints. From the shuttering of multi-decade icons in Ahwatukee to the high-tech retreat of fast-food leaders, here are the four restaurant chains closing doors or undergoing major downsizing in Arizona this month.
1. Wendy’s (“Project Fresh” Phase II)
The most widespread impact on Arizona’s quick-service landscape this month comes from Wendy’s. Under its national “Project Fresh” turnaround strategy, the company is shuttering roughly 350 underperforming locations across North America…..