Whataburger in rare move closes an SC restaurant. Here’s where
The first Whataburger to open in Greenville County has closed.
The company said in a statement the closing this month was a result of regular business reviews it conducts of all of its locations.
The location was Whataburger’s second choice for Greenville. Initially it wanted to be on Laurens Road, but the city turned down the application due to complaints from people living around the site concerned about noise and lights from the 24-hour operation.
It chose a former TGI Fridays instead.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Whataburger rarely closes restaurants but in December it closed eight in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.
This comes as 70 new locations were expected to open in 2026.
The newspaper reported they typically close “underperforming restaurants during, or after, rapid expansion phases.”
The Greenville location at 1466 Woodruff Road, not far from the interchange at Interstate 385, was part of an expansion into South Carolina during which more than a dozen stores opened in the space of a couple of years, often within two weeks of each other.
Three Greenville-area locations remain open.
“We regularly conduct a business review of our locations to maximize opportunities for growth and keep Whataburger strong in the communities we serve. In a few cases that means closing restaurants,” a company spokesman said in a statement.
“This decision helps focus our efforts where we can make the biggest impact, ensuring our Guests continue to enjoy the high-quality, delicious food and genuine hospitality they’ve come to expect from Whataburger,” the statement added.
The spokesman declined to answer whether the company was overbuilding, but did say no further closings were planned.
Whataburger, based in Texas and not associated with the locally owned What-A-Burger, opened its first South Carolina in 2024, followed by the Greenville location.
The restaurant chain, founded in 1950, has more than 1,030 locations. Its entry into South Carolina marks 16 states, which the company called Sweet 16. It now is in 17 states.
Whataburger President and CEO Ed Nelson, a South Carolina native and Clemson graduate, said having a Whataburger in South Carolina is a dream come true.
“As a native son, I’ve always known that our state’s rich culture and warm hospitality would be the perfect match for Whataburger’s tradition of bold flavors and extraordinary service,” he said in a news release.
Whataburger locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Christmas Day.
There are two locations in Columbia and two in Lexington and 17 total listed on its website in South Carolina.