Wendy's Dethroning Burger King as No. 2 Burger Chain

While McDonald’s is still the overwhelming powerhouse in fast-food burger chain, it appears that Burger King will soon be dethroned and it will come at the hands of a young pigtailed redhead.

The Orange County Register reports that Wendy’s is expected to surpass BK in the U.S., perhaps as early as this year, according to a report by Janney Capital Markets that was released Tuesday.

"We expect Wendy's to overtake privately-held Burger King for the number-two market-share position within the limited-service hamburger sector, perhaps as soon as this year," wrote analyst Mark Kalinowski in the report, according to the Register.

Market-research firm Technomic reports that Wendy’s had Wendy’s had a 12.8 percent share of the market in 2010 while Burger King topped it with a 13.3 percent share, the Register notes. (McDonald’s crushed all of its competitors with a 49.5 percent share.)

Now Wendy’s is poised to pass by Burger King for the first time ever due to “the debut of contemporary prototype restaurants along with a continued focus on food quality,” the Register notes.

The addition of “modern fixtures,” such as fireplaces and flat-screen TVs will help Wendy’s get by Burger King, Kalinowski tells the Register, as well as the continued introduction of new menu items. The chain has already done “roughly 20 restaurant makeovers across the country,” the paper reports.

It may also help that the original Wendy who inspired the mascot — Wendy Thomas, daughter of Wendy's founder Dave Thomas — has stepped up to the brand with national advertising and local appearances in the U.S. this year.