Wendys

Don Thompson, a champion of McDonald's expanded menu offerings and spruced-up restaurants will soon take the top spot at the world's biggest burger chain.

These should be exciting times for Wendy's: It has revamped its burgers, spun off Arby's, expanded back into Japan, and is going to take another crack at the breakfast game. But despite all that, its share price is around the cost of its value meals, and that's unlikely to change.

This is a big week for Wendy's. For the first time in its 42-year history, the burger chain is remaking its signature sandwich. It's a bid to compete with "gourmet" burger shops that are growing in popularity. Still, it's going to take more than menu tweaks for Wendy's to turn things around.

Announcements made late Wednesday and early Thursday revealed that three large companies -- Wendy's, Costco, and Bank of New York Mellon -- are losing their CEOs. And while the first two cases sound like they'll result in smooth transitions, the third comes as something of a shock.

Legendary investor Peter Lynch espoused the philosophy "Buy what you know." Well, who doesn't know restaurants? We know where the crowds are, and we know what we like to eat. Here are five chains that managed to grow during the market lull, positioning themselves perfectly for the future.

Wall Street can be fickle, leaving investors scratching their heads in bewilderment. Some of last week's biggest surprises, blunders, and flat-out bone-headed moves included Morgan Stanley's downgrading of Google, another step toward a LivingSocial IPO, and irrational exuberance with respect to Wendy's stock.

America is getting heavier and less healthy every year, and our increasing consumption of fast food is at least partially to blame. 24/7 Wall St. examined the menus of the top 10 quick service restaurants to find the items that were the highest in calories, carbohydrates, sodium and saturated fat. Here's what they found:

Wendy's/Arby's Group said Monday that it will sell a majority stake in its struggling Arby's brand to a private equity firm. The move marks the end of a short-lived union between the two fast-food chains, and represents a role reversal.

Subway tops a Harris Poll of fast-food brand recognition but sandwiches still trail burgers among Americans favorite meals.

After compiling this huge list of senior discounts and freebies, I'm convinced that, if you're of a certain age, it's just a matter of asking to save money. Just remember to bring ID, as many retailers and restaurants will ask for proof of your age. After all, you look so young!