A US food brand has submitted plans to open a North East restaurant on the site that once housed KFC.

American burger and fries brand Wendy's has set its sights on opening a North East store on Grainger Street in Newcastle - moving its operations to the region for only the second time.

Conversations about Wendy's in Newcastle began earlier this week when an application from Square Burgers Limited, the owners of Wendy's, submitted an application to Newcastle City Council.

The Northern Echo:

On the application form, Wendy's listed 68-72 Grainger Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne as its new store location, with 68 Grainger Street once housing fellow fast food name KFC.

Despite KFC closing its venue here - it seems that another big-name brand might be taking its place.

In the application, which was received on Monday, March 25, a consultation is currently in place and will run until April 22.

The application, which is for an application for a premises licence to permit late night refreshment, seeks to run this from 11pm until 5am - which has indicated that Wendy's wants to open up in Newcastle.

If moved forward and progressed, the restaurant will join other new store openings the firm has announced for the UK, with restaurants also due to open in Leeds, Peterborough, Guilford, Derby and Cambridge.

The Northern Echo:

Despite being relatively unique, this restaurant in Newcastle won't be the first in the North East - due to Wendy's already agreeing on a deal to build a restaurant in Captain Cook's Square in Middlesbrough.

These new restaurants are set to create more than 240 new jobs across the six locations.

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While Wendy's has made a massive name for itself in the US, it's a new concept in the UK that started in 2021, following the arrival of Wendy’s in Liverpool and Portsmouth.

So far, Wendy's has opened around 30 locations.

At the new restaurants, Wendy’s fans can find the same signature items they know and love from the United States, including the Baconator, Dave’s Double, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and the classic Frosty dessert. 

Here's what people can expect at Wendy's:

Baconator: A half-pound of British beef, American cheese, six pieces of crispy Applewood smoked bacon, ketchup, and mayo.

Dave’s Single: A quarter-pound of British beef, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayo, and onion on a toasted bun. It is named after Wendy's founder.

The Spicy Chicken Sandwich: A juicy chicken breast marinated and breaded in a fiery blend of peppers and spices, cooled down with crisp lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

The Curry Bean Burger: It's signature black bean patty that’s mixed with chickpeas and vegetables, topped with Monterrey Jack Cheese, juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce and curry mayo – all on a toasted bun.

Frosty: Wendy's Signature dessert - cool, creamy and refreshing - thick enough to use a spoon, smooth enough to use a straw. Available in vanilla and chocolate.

Baconator Fries: Natural-cut, skin-on, sea-salted fries topped with warm, creamy cheese sauce, shredded cheddar, and crispy Applewood smoked bacon.

Seasoned Potatoes: Half-moon seasoned potatoes featuring a blend of spices, served crispy and piping hot.