Fox Business reported on August 9, 2026, that Burger King surpassed Wendy’s as the (distant) second largest burger chain in the United States after McDonald’s. According to the report, Wendy’s had passed Burger King in 2020 and held the runner-up spot for six years, but their fortunes have reversed:

Burger King reclaimed the No. 2 position as its U.S. turnaround gains momentum, with domestic same-store sales jumping 8.5% in the second quarter. Wendy’s, meanwhile, reported a 7% decline in U.S. same-store sales, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of contraction.

I am not sure if I have had food from America’s big three burger chains this century, but I had some when I was a kid in the 90s. There are two long-standing McDonald’s and Burger King locations in Downtown Brooklyn, the former being situated on Court Street and the latter on Fulton. There used to be a Wendy’s on Fulton, but it died off some time ago. I do recall having had Wedny’s at the former Pier 17 at South Street Seaport, as in the charming Pier 17 before New York took advantage of Hurricaine Sandy to replace it with something less than charming. Combined with Mixue report from last year and my Taco Bell coverage a few weeks ago, I am working at becoming an authority on fast food that I never eat.