Burger King has reclaimed its position as the second-largest burger chain in the United States by systemwide sales, overtaking Wendy’s six years after losing the spot to its rival.

The shift reflects the contrasting performances of the two chains over the past two years.

Wendy’s has recorded declining U.S. same-store sales for six consecutive quarters, with domestic same-store sales falling 7 per cent in its latest quarter, according to the company’s Friday report.

Burger King, by contrast, has been pursuing a turnaround strategy that has driven five consecutive quarters of growth in domestic same-store sales.

The Restaurant Brands International-owned chain reported an 8.5 per cent increase in U.S. same-store sales for the second quarter on Thursday.

McDonald’s continues to dominate the U.S. burger market, holding the top spot by a wide margin.

While the company reports systemwide sales globally, Barclays estimated that McDonald’s accounted for about 48 per cent of the U.S. burger market in 2024.

Wendy’s held an 11.4 per cent share, compared with 10 per cent for Burger King.

Wendy’s initially moved ahead of Burger King after the successful nationwide launch of its breakfast menu.

However, maintaining the No. 2 position has proved increasingly challenging for the chain.