Beloved sports bar chain quietly closes multiple restaurants

The sports bar space has become incredibly challenging because it’s wildly crowded.

You have national players like Buffalo Wild Wings which run massive advertising campaigns that make them the default choice for many players. In addition, there are regional favorites like Miller’s Ale House, Duffy’s, and countless others that offer quality food and an excellent sports experience.

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Duffy’s, a Florida-based chain, even offers 2-for-1 drinks. That seems like it should not be legal (and it probably isn’t in some states) but it’s allowed in Florida and offering that all-day promotion has proven to be a major draw for the chain.

In addition to chains that define themselves as sports bars, you also have players including Chili’s and Applebee’s. These restaurants are not exactly sports bars, but they offer a sports-friendly menu and plenty of televisions. 

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Both of these chains have also recently leaned heavily into value. That has worked incredibly well for Chili’s which has seen sales surge. Applebee’s has recently brought back its popular all-you-can-ear promotion and offers really cheap drinks.

Neither brand offers anyone’s favorite food, but they have menus filled with comfort food favorites that most people like well enough. A riblet may not be your first choice, but make them all-you-can eat and throw in a cheap beer or mixed drink and you have an offer that’s hard to compete with.

Walk-Ons is a new kind of sports bar

Walk-Ons takes the classic sports bar and democratizes it while adding a Cajun flair to the menu. Instead of being built around star athletes, it’s a tribute to the last guys on the bench.

“Our love for the game, community, and bringing the heart of a walk-on to the restaurant space began with the dreams of our Founder, Brandon Landry and his partner, Jack Warner, in 2003. We’ve worked hard over the years to create a restaurant and bar concept that pairs attention-to-detail and culinary excellence with a little Louisiana spice, pulling in that underdog mindset and hospitality, making you feel like family the moment you walk in,” the company shared on its website.

Much like they did as athletes, the founding duo built the brand without much support. These weren’t scholarship players or trust fund babies, these are two partners who scrapped and hustled.

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“Despite having little business experience and a lack of financial support, Brandon and Jack took what they learned on-court – hard work, dedication, and the commitment to excellence, and put it into a restaurant vision. Their passion to create a concept built on culture and inclusivity pushed their dream into a reality when on September 9, 2003, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar opened for business, right next to their homecourt – LSU’s Tiger Stadium,” the company added,

Walk-On’s has mostly been a success. The chain had over 80 locations in 14 states, but it has also closed a number of locations over the past couple of years.

Walk-On’s closes failing restaurants   

As a private company, Walk-On’s does not share any financial information publicly. The company celebrates new openings on its website, but does not mention its many closures.

Its location in Kissimmee, Florida, for example, opening in 2024 and closed less than a year later. That location was near a thriving Miller’s Ale House, a busy Chili’s, and a Hooters that has remained open despite the chain’s struggles.

The Walk-Ons had a lot of competition in that area which contains thousands of hotel rooms and rental properties serving the Orlando theme parks. It’s common for most casual eateries in that area to have a waitlist even on weeknights.

A number of other Walk-On’s locations have also closed, according to data from Google.

• Waco, Texas: The Waco location closed on May 3, 2025, with no specific reason provided for the closure.
• Opelika, Alabama: The Opelika location closed on February 3, 2025, due to low sales.
• Fayetteville, North Carolina: The Fayetteville location on Skibo Road closed on May 8, 2024,
• Bristol, Tennessee: The Bristol location closed on February 3, 2025, with the restaurant chain confirming the permanent closure.
• Wilmington, North Carolina: The Wilmington location closed on May 28, 2024, with some reports indicating that employees were not paid on time leading up to the closure.
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Several locations in the Myrtle Beach area also closed permanently, with the last one closing on November 4, 2024.
• Broussard, Louisiana: The Broussard location closed on February 3, 2025.

Despite its select struggles, Walk-On’s has continued to open locations during the period these (and perhaps other) locations have closed. The chain opened a new location in March.

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“Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is excited to announce the official grand opening of its newest location in Southaven, MS. The celebration took place on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 6715 Snowden Lane, Southaven, MS, 38672 and featured a series of exciting festivities that highlighted Walk-On’s commitment to the community,” it shared on its website.

The chain also remodeled an Atlanta sports bar into a Walk-On’s in January.

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