The Popular Burger Chain That's Been Closing Locations This Year

It continues to be a difficult time for restaurants throughout the United States, as various chains continue filing for bankruptcy or shutting down locations. Texas Roadhouse is one popular franchise that has been struggling since early 2025. TGI Fridays filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2024, and dining spots like Red Lobster also saw a large number of restaurant closures during the year. Now Wahlburgers, the burger chain co-founded by celebrity brothers Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg, is shuttering more than two-thirds of its locations.

The Wahlburgers closures are a bit different from that of other chains, in that all the locations being shut down belong to the same franchisee: Hy-Vee, Inc., operator of Hy-Vee grocery stores. Wahlburgers and Hy-Vee formed a franchising agreement in 2017, leading to the installation of the burger joints in numerous Hy-Vee supermarket locations, as well as Wahlburgers menu items being added to all of Hy-Vee's Market Grille restaurants. Market Grille was the in-house dining option previously operated by Hy-Vee inside its stores. Wahlburgers slowly replaced the majority of Market Grille locations — a move that is now being fully reversed, as Hy-Vee shuts down all of its in-store Wahlburgers franchises and replaces them with Market Grille locations once again.

In all, 79 Wahlburgers are being closed. While Hy-Vee has not disclosed a reason for the shutdowns, Wahlburgers CEO Randy Sharpe has stated that the Hy-Vee locations were not significant sources of revenue for either entity, and that Wahlburgers is now focusing on quality of locations rather than quantity.

Wahlburgers does business using a flexible format approach, encompassing traditional restaurant settings and drive-thru locations, as well as creating a presence in less conventional sites like fairs and airports. As of March 2025, only 34 Wahlburgers locations remain in operation, spanning 14 U.S. states and three international locales. Many of the surviving U.S. sites are housed inside casinos, with some located in airports and the sole Tennessee franchise located in a Bass Pro Shops facility. Wahlburgers also has a presence near Boston's historic Fenway Park and a restaurant inside Mall of America in Minnesota. The Wahlburgers company has taken over the Mall of America restaurant from Hy-Vee, which formerly operated the location as part of its franchisee holdings.

The famous Wahlberg brothers are the driving forces behind the Wahlburgers restaurant chain. Mark Wahlberg is an Oscar-nominated actor formerly known by the stage name Marky Mark. Donnie Wahlberg was a foundational member of the boy band New Kids On The Block and has gone on to have a robust TV and film career. Paul Wahlberg, chef and creator of the Wahlburgers restaurant concept, appeared alongside his brothers in the reality show "Wahlburgers," which followed the brothers' venture into the restaurant business.

The restaurant's menu is founded on family dishes enjoyed by the brothers while they were growing up. The food lineup features an array of burgers, sandwiches, and salads, as well as sides that venture a bit outside the norm, like Crispy Fried Pickles, Truffle Fries, BBQ Chicken Tots, and Spinach & Parmesan Wahlbites. The innocuous array of milkshakes and ice cream floats is joined by an adult lineup of boozy shakes and drink concoctions.