Wendy’s has named Tariq Hassan as its new chief marketing and customer growth officer, a position created as part of the chain’s turnaround plan. Hassan, who previously served as chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s, takes over from Lindsay Radkoski as Wendy’s works to reverse six consecutive quarters of falling same-store sales, including a 7% decline in the second quarter of 2026.
Wendy’s operates or franchises more than 7,000 restaurants, the vast majority of them run by independent franchisees. The chain has been navigating a sustained period of declining traffic, with same-store sales falling across six consecutive quarters. New president and CEO Bob Wright, who joined the company in May 2026 after leading the turnaround at Potbelly, has identified marketing as one of five priority areas requiring action. The appointment of Tariq Hassan, effective immediately, is presented as a direct response to that gap.
A New Marketing Chief with a Track Record at McDonald’s
Hassan spent several years at McDonald’s as chief marketing and customer experience officer for the U.S., where he oversaw campaigns that generated significant cultural attention, including the adult Happy Meal initiative and a Grimace birthday promotion that drove measurable sales and social engagement. He was later described as a “powerful force” in positioning McDonald’s at the center of culture by then U.S. president Joe Erlinger. Before McDonald’s, Hassan held marketing roles at Petco and HP, and began his career on the agency side. He resigned from McDonald’s in early 2025.
Six Quarters of Declining Sales and a Marketing Strategy Under Scrutiny
Wendy’s reported a 7% same-store sales decline in the second quarter of 2026, the latest in a run of disappointing results that stretches back several quarters. Wright, speaking to investors around the Q2 earnings release, identified the chain’s marketing approach as a core part of the problem. “We need to sharpen marketing. We’ve been over reliant on a calendar of one-off promotions and collaborations rather than a consistent, relevant brand narrative grounded in our equity and what the franchise brand Wendy’s stands for,” says Bob Wright, President and CEO of Wendy’s. Collaborations such as a 2025 tie-in with Netflix’s “Wednesday” generated online attention but did not consistently translate into customer visits.
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What Hassan’s Mandate Covers and What Comes Next
Hassan’s new title, chief marketing and customer growth officer, signals that his remit goes beyond traditional brand advertising. He will report directly to Wright and is expected to drive digital and loyalty engagement alongside more traditional brand-building activities. Hassan takes over from Lindsay Radkoski, who has served as U.S. CMO since 2023 and will remain during a transition period. Wendy’s has not disclosed a timeline for its turnaround, but Wright’s public framing of the problem, centered on brand consistency and loyalty rather than short-term promotions, suggests the strategy under Hassan will prioritize sustained engagement over campaign-by-campaign traffic spikes.
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