Wendy’s released a six-track, emo- and pop-punk-inspired EP titled “Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot,” available now on YouTube and major streaming platforms, according to reports by WCMH. The Central Ohio-based fast-food chain partnered with various rock artists for the project, including Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire, Chloe Kinnon of Winona Fighter, Shane Told of Silverstein, Beau Bokan of blessthefall, Derek DiScanio of State Champs, and Kat Leon of Holy Wars, as reported by WCMH.
Tracklist and Production Details
According to reporting by WCMH, all six songs on the EP were written by Matt Squire, a producer and songwriter who has previously worked with prominent acts such as Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, Good Charlotte, Panic! At the Disco, Boys Like Girls, All Time Low, and Sum 41. The tracklist features titles that playfully blend fast-food motifs with genre tropes, such as “She Said She Didn’t Want Fries” featuring Matty Mullins and “My Frosty’s Funeral” featuring Kat Leon. Other tracks include “Salt in the Wound” featuring Chloe Kinnon, “I Miss the Sunroom” featuring Shane Told, “The Best Combo Meal on the Worst Night of my Life” featuring Beau Bokan, and “It’s Not a Phase, It’s a 10pc” featuring Derek DiScanio, as detailed by WCMH.
The lyrics lean heavily into emo and pop-punk nostalgia, featuring lines reported by WCMH such as, “It’s not a phase it’s a 10-piece, when I’m a mess they can mend me and even when that box is empty, they are the piece that completes me,” alongside lines like, “Ohio is for lovers but parking lots hold tears, my fries are lost forever and some scars last for years.”
Corporate Context and Financial Performance
The music release arrives as Wendy’s, headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, navigates a period of declining sales and strategic turnaround efforts. In the second quarter of 2026, the company reported that U.S. systemwide sales declined 8.2% and same-restaurant sales were down 7%, according to financial figures cited by WCMH.
“Today we are clearly not performing at our potential,” President and CEO Bob Wright said in a statement published by WCMH. “I returned to Wendy’s because I believe we can fix our issues and I am excited to work with our team and our franchisees to drive a strong turnaround. Our traffic, our value proposition and franchisee economics are not meeting our expectations.”
Additionally, Meritage Hospitality Group—one of the company’s largest franchisees, operating more than 300 locations across 15 states including Ohio—recently filed for bankruptcy but stated an intention to keep operating its restaurants through the restructuring process, according to WCMH. Wendy’s has also closed hundreds of locations over the last several years, as noted by WCMH.
Worth a look