Wendy's food offerings and humorous offerings do not drive traffic

Total sales are expected to rise about 3% this year, at the low end of its previous forecast of up to 5%, the company said in a statement Thursday. Same-store sales, a metric that tracks stores open at least 15 months, rose 0.2% in the third quarter. Analysts were calling for significantly faster growth.

Wendy's has tried to spur growth by expanding its breakfast and late-night businesses, including through deals and more advertising, while also seeking to attract more users to its digital app. The company has also launched humorous marketing campaigns, including the McBroken website, which shows where McDonald's Corp.'s ice cream machines are located. are down and directs customers to the nearest Wendy's.

Customer numbers fell in the quarter, Wendy's said, stressing that the burger chain needs to do more to attract diners suffering from high inflation. Earnings per share were roughly in line, while sales exceeded expectations.