Smaller, “Green” Wendy’s Opens in Portsmouth

Rich and Andrew Krumholz, the Harvard-educated brothers who bought 30 Wendy’s restaurants in Hampton Roads a year ago, have just opened a brand new Wendy’s on a corner near Old Towne.

Why is this a big deal?

This is a first-of-its-kind design for a Wendy’s in Virginia, and features a wall-mounted fireplace next to a lounge, barstool seating and exposed ceiling, along with a bigger view into the kitchen to see orders as they’re made as well as the restaurant’s point of pride: fresh produce.

Nearly half as small as a regular Wendy’s and using up to 40 percent less energy and water, the kitchen buzzed with about 10 workers who separate iceberg lettuce leaves by hand, chop tomatoes twice a day and bake fresh cookies and potatoes in minutes.

The new restaurant model named the Smart 55, is designed with a smaller footprint than a traditional Wendy’s restaurant and is energy efficient, including high-efficiency HVAC units, LED lighting, and use of ENERGY STAR® kitchen equipment. Delight Restaurant Group joined the Department of Energy’s Better Building Challenge in 2017 and made a commitment to reduce their energy use by 20% over a 10-year period.