Wendy's is struggling as economic uncertainty weighs on consumers

Wendy's cut its sales outlook Friday, pointing to heightened competition and economic uncertainty weighing on its customer base.

Company executives discussed Wendy's challenges during a call with analysts Friday, following the release of its latest earnings report. Interim CEO Ken Cook said that in light of the current environment, the company now expects full-year global sales to decline between 3% and 5%, compared with previous projections of flat to down 2%.

Wendy's is coping with softer consumer demand in 2025, particularly among the lower-income customers that tend to frequent fast-food chains, Sara Senatore, a research analyst at Bank of America, told CBS MoneyWatch.

"The low-income consumer remains under pressure," she said.

Fast food chains like Wendy's are competing for th