Burger King closed 103 U.S. restaurants in 2025, according to the chain’s latest franchise disclosure document. That sounds like a brand in trouble, but the company is not going out of business. It still had 6,650 U.S. locations at the end of the year, Fast Company reported.
Of the 103 closures, 89 were franchised restaurants and 14 were owned by the company. Burger King also opened 87 locations during the year. Since 48 of those were existing stores sold to new owners, the chain built 39 new restaurants. Overall, it ended 2025 with 51 fewer U.S. restaurants than it started with.
Why is Burger King closing stores?
The closures are part of a plan. In late 2022, parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI) launched a turnaround called “Reclaim the Flame.” It set aside $400 million, with $150 million for ads and digital tools and $250 million for remodels and restaurant technology, CNBC reported.
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Part of the plan was to close weak restaurants. In early 2023, RBI CEO Joshua Kobza said the company expected to close 300 to 400 U.S. locations that year. RBI executive chairman Patrick Doyle told investors that “there simply is no room for franchisees who are not willing or able to work hard to operate restaurants that are better than the system average over the long term.”
The pace has slowed since then. Burger King shed 264 U.S. restaurants in 2023, 77 in 2024 and 51 in 2025, QSR Magazine reported.
What happened with Carrols?
In May 2024, RBI bought Carrols Restaurant Group, which was the largest Burger King franchisee in the country. Carrols ran more than 1,000 Burger King restaurants in 23 states. RBI is now remodeling those stores and selling most of them to smaller local owners, Franchise Times reported. By late 2026, it had sold 135 of them.
Is the plan working?
So far, the numbers point that way. In the third quarter of 2026, Burger King’s U.S. same-store sales rose 8.4%, according to Franchise Times. The chain also moved back into second place among U.S. burger chains, behind McDonald’s.
Remodeled restaurants are doing best. Stores with the new “Sizzle” design, which has self-order screens and double drive-thrus, average about $2.2 million a year in sales. A typical Burger King averaged about $1.7 million in 2025. Only about 60% of stores have been updated so far.
Franchise owners are earning more, too. Average U.S. franchisee profit rose from about $140,000 to more than $205,000 in 2023, QSR Magazine reported.
What does it mean if your local Burger King closes?
A closed store usually means one of three things. The owner could not meet the chain’s tougher standards, the building was too run-down to fix at a fair cost, or the store is changing hands. None of these means the brand is shutting down.
If you eat fast food often, check the nutrition facts on the chain’s app or website. Look at calories, sodium and added sugar, and choose grilled items, water or a smaller size when you can.
Editor’s note: Burger King is not going out of business. The chain closed 103 U.S. restaurants in 2025 as part of its turnaround plan, but it still has about 6,650 locations open across the country.
Disclaimer: The author is not a licensed medical professional. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only and is based on research from publicly available, reputable sources. It is not intended to constitute, and should not be relied upon as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed physician or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition, symptoms, or medications. Do not disregard, avoid, or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of information contained herein.
AI Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by a human editor.