re: Anybody Know What's Going on with Burger King?

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At least 4 or 5 locations in Metairie and NOLA have closed

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The one in Broussard just recently closed within the last 2 weeks as well

Whataburger is solid too. Never any issues the times I've been.

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These were owned by a specific franchisee. They were in at well below market lease rates and can't afford to renew at market rates and profit.

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A big franchisee just sold their stores to another franchisee (or is in the process of doing so). I know someone who worked for the previous company. They had an option to relocate to another state to work for the new company.

I would guess they are closing underperforming locations due to sales, costs or whatever.

I stopped at the one in Natchitoches one day and it was the best customer service I have ever seen at any fast food place including canes and fil-a. The difference was the manager was working the register and making sure food was coming out properly while being friendly to customers.

A new firm out of Atlanta recently bought almost every Burger King in Louisiana so it should reopen under new management. Hopefully, they can erase the stigma of awful service that has followed BK.

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GPS Hospitality, an Atlanta-based company that bought 125 Burger Kings across Louisiana in December, has plans to boost its workforce by 10 percent.

The franchisee firm is looking to hire over 1,000 people over the next six weeks for its Burger Kings in Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi. The company acquired nearly 200 Burger Kings from California-based Strategic Restaurants Acquisition Corp. Holdings for an undisclosed amount.

The deal included more than two dozen locations in the New Orleans area. GPS is now one of the three largest Burger King franchise owners in the United States, with nearly 425 restaurants and over $500 million in yearly revenue. The firm bought 33 Burger Kings in the metro area, 28 in the Baton Rouge area and 20 in Lafayette.

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Believe it or not, the BK location on St. Charles Ave. is actually very well run.

Their manager, Ms. Wanda, is the only reason I go to this or any BK location. This also the ONLY fast food location that will give you ketchup when you order fries (without having to ask for it). Big plus in my book.

They're always slammed inside during Mardi Gras since they're on the Uptown route, but they keep the lines moving very quickly.

I avoid any and all BK locations in NOLA because of lousy service, but this one seems to be doing it right.

I wonder why they would demolish a location, though.

Do the franchisees usually own the land where the restaurant sits or is it leased?

I ask because I passed a former BK restaurant that had a for lease sign on it. It hadn't been a BK in a long time. It had been a NO Hamburger and Seafood spinoff that served coffee and beignets, even chocolate beignets. The location was near Vets and Causeway.

The former BK location in front of Lowe's is for lease now, too.

A lot of the Burger Kings around Louisiana where owned by a group out of California and they just recently sold to a company out of Georgia. The new comp at may have closed down some of poor performing locations.