Investor's Business Daily notes that Wendy's may be challenging Burger King for the No. 2 fast food slot, but the CEO isn't interested in Wi-Fi: This perhaps puts Wendy's out of the near-term running for the next major QSR (quick-service restaurant) that adds Wi-Fi. But the CEO is dismissive:
At lunchtime, the idea is table turns and you don't want people staying at their tables surfing. If there's a way to do that in the afternoons only, we will, he says. However, he's not looking at his own numbers well enough. The article notes that 65 percent of Wendy's business is drive-through, and a significant fraction of its counter business is most likely take-away as well.
The idea of Wi-Fi is that it's a tool to load the restaurants during off-times. Businesspeople aren't going to come in and spend two hours over lunch trying to get work done, but they might spend money on food and Wi-Fi. A lack of seating rarely discourage the fast-food patron; they take it to go, if they have to, but they don't find another restaurant.