Burger King Franchisee to Close 26 Locations Across SE Michigan, 12 in Detroit Proper

**313WX** · March-27-23, 09:03 AM

The bleeding of fast food options in the city of Detroit continues.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ds-of-layoffs/

This will result in 424 workers being laid off and it should be completed by mid-April.

These closure will leave Detroit proper with a grand total of 4 Burger King locations:

East Side

*Outer Drive & Van Dyke [[owned/operated by GPS Hospitality)

West Side

*West Lafayette & Trumbull

*West Vernor Hwy & Livernois

Downtown

*GM Headquarters / RenCen

**EGrant** · March-27-23, 09:07 AM

Had no idea there was a Burger King in the RenCen

**401don** · March-27-23, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Had no idea there was a Burger King in the RenCen

It's been there for years. You would think with their limited hours they would be one of the closures. Must have a really sweet lease. W. Lafayette draws at all hours from the post office workers.

**313WX** · March-27-23, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

It's been there for years. You would think with their limited hours they would be one of the closures. Must have a really sweet lease. W. Lafayette draws at all hours from the post office workers.

Most likely, those locations are run by a different franchisee.

Besides GPS Hospitality, I think Tria Company is another big one locally.

**Richard** · March-27-23, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Most likely, those locations are run by a different franchisee.

Besides GPS Hospitality, I think Tria Company is another big one locally.

EYM King of Michigan, based in Irving, Texas, the franchisee that owns the restaurants, informed the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity on March 22 of the layoffs.

The closings are due to “unforeseen business circumstances” and failure to reach an agreement with Burger King Corp., according to a WARN notice sent to Michigan’s labor department.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...team%20members.

TOMS King Holdings, a 90-unit Burger King operator with locations in four states, declared bankruptcy this week, blaming the pandemic and subsequent inflation challenges for draining its cash flow and making it unable to pay its debt.
https://www.restaurantbusinessonline...res-bankruptcy

Meridian Restaurants Unlimited, which operates over 115 Burger King restaurants across nine states, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/...nkrupt/644529/

The way it looks the city’s that had extended lock downs are the ones that are being shut down across the country,BK most likely would not negotiate lease terms so the ones that were hurting could never really fully recover.

**softailrider** · March-27-23, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Had no idea there was a Burger King in the RenCen

I have no idea about anything in the RenCen anymore since Michigan Basic moved out. I'd rather get a root canal then go into that place.

**mtburb** · March-27-23, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Had no idea there was a Burger King in the RenCen

I'm surprised that one is still open, considering that nearly everything else in that food court has closed, and the rest of the RenCen's misfortunes since the pandemic began, having lost CVS and Comerica among other tenants.

**JonWylie** · March-27-23, 09:57 AM

Did someone say Savvy Sliders?

**Danny** · March-27-23, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by JonWylie

Did someone say Savvy Sliders?

Savvy Sliders target is chase White Castle out of Detroit.

**Richard** · March-27-23, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Savvy Sliders target is chase White Castle out of Detroit.

Good luck with that,WC is a private family owned business that is saddled with no debt and does not franchise,they do not open locations willy nilly and in a burger war they would win hands down because they have no debt and other locations across the country can pick up the losses,unlike a local franchise.

**Danny** · March-27-23, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

Good luck with that,WC is a private family owned business that is saddled with no debt and does not franchise,they do not open locations willy nilly and in a burger war they would win hands down because they have no debt and other locations across the country can pick up the losses,unlike a local franchise.

White Castle is a Franchise.

https://www.franchisehelp.com/franchises/white-castle/

**Richard** · March-27-23, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

White Castle is a Franchise.

https://www.franchisehelp.com/franchises/white-castle/

White Castle does not actually franchise, it has subsidiaries that are privately owned. White Castle expands very carefully and deliberately, using earmarked earnings to fund construction and not stretching too far geographically away from the company’s resources.

It is in the overview section in the link you posted

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-02-23, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

Good luck with that,WC is a private family owned business that is saddled with no debt and does not franchise,they do not open locations willy nilly and in a burger war they would win hands down because they have no debt and other locations across the country can pick up the losses,unlike a local franchise.

So why are they closing the WC at 9 Mile and Telegraph? I don't even know which area is the next closest to me.

**Richard** · April-02-23, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

So why are they closing the WC at 9 Mile and Telegraph? I don't even know which area is the next closest to me.

I do not know why,it’s not the one where the place was shot up killing 3 inside,but they are showing 10 locations in Detroit,started in 1929.

But that is no different then the others that open and close locations for various reasons.

**softailrider** · April-03-23, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

So why are they closing the WC at 9 Mile and Telegraph? I don't even know which area is the next closest to me.

That better not be true, it's close to my office, I eat there occasionally.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-05-23, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

So why are they closing the WC at 9 Mile and Telegraph? I don't even know which area is the next closest to me.

Correction. I was just informed the WC on 9 Mile and Telegraph is being remodeled, not closed. Good...

**Zacha341** · March-27-23, 05:33 PM

I don't think so. The price point of WC is still attractive for a fast-food-crap-burger! And SS doesn't have those wonderful chicken rings or onion chips!

Originally Posted by Danny

Savvy Sliders target is chase White Castle out of Detroit.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-02-23, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I don't think so. The price point of WC is still attractive for a fast-food-crap-burger! And SS doesn't have those wonderful chicken rings or onion chips!

The last time I went to WC, it's not so cheap anymore. They'll swallow a $20 faster than a eye blink now.

**Zacha341** · April-02-23, 10:06 AM

Yep. I noticed CK. I'm old enough to recall when burgers there where 55 cent or so plain, no cheese -- a bit more with cheese. All food is out of FRIGGEN control. Yet where told all is well [from the admin elite who are of course not impacted now matter how high prices get]. Rubbish!

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

The last time I went to WC, it's not so cheap anymore. They'll swallow a $20 faster than a eye blink now.

**313WX** · March-27-23, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by JonWylie

Did someone say Savvy Sliders?

If unseasoned burger meat is your thing, then you'll love Saavy Sliders!

**Zacha341** · March-27-23, 05:36 PM

Over-priced too! Once the new-shine wears off that reality will emerge......!

Originally Posted by 313WX

If unseasoned burger meat is your thing, then you'll love Saavy Sliders!

**swingline** · March-27-23, 11:31 AM

These all appear to be a single franchisee? Never good for a neighborhood to have boarded up fast food stores. West Lafayette location always seemed to be well run. The one on Gratiot near Eastern Market has been a disaster for years.

**K-slice** · March-27-23, 02:11 PM

Look at the reviews for these restaurants and it's not hard to see why. If I'm getting fast food, it's the suburbs or bust.

**Danny** · March-27-23, 02:14 PM

Yes it true!!!

What a shock! Twenty six Metro Detroit Burger King Restaurants will be closed on April 15th. 470 employees will lose their jobs in the flash!

Here are the locations that are closing:

The following Metro Detroit Burger King locations will be closed by mid-April:

Dearborn Heights: 20401 West Warren Avenue
Detroit: 20200 Grand River Avenue
Detroit: 2155 Gratiot Avenue
Detroit: 9239 Gratiot Avenue
Detroit: 18021 Kelly Road
Detroit: 9871 Livernois
Detroit: 16245 Livernois
Detroit: 20240 Plymouth Road
Detroit: 12661 Mack Avenue
Detroit: 13600 West McNichols Road
Detroit: 17440 East Warren Avenue
Detroit: 8201 Woodward Avenue
Detroit: 15500 West 7 Mile Road
Ecorse: 3863 West Jefferson Avenue
Ferndale: 10336 West 8 Mile Road
Flint: 3801 Clio Road
Flint: 3625 South Dort Highway
Highland Park: 13324 Woodward Avenue
Livonia: 28203 Plymouth Road
Livonia: 34835 Plymouth Avenue
Royal Oak: 31456 Woodward Avenue
Southfield: 30711 Southfield Road
Southfield: 23660 Telegraph Road
Walled Lake: 1113 East West Maple Road
Warren: 2411 East 8 Mile Road
Whitmore Lake: 9774 East M-36

Who's to Blame The franchisee has failed to keep out with BK's marching orders.

**Zacha341** · March-27-23, 05:35 PM

Kinda incredible that this one is closing...... The locale should have kept it going. The few times lately that I had a hankering for flame grilled they looked closed and I drove on...

Originally Posted by Danny

Here are the locations that are closing:

The following Metro Detroit Burger King locations will be closed by mid-April:

....Detroit: 8201 Woodward Avenue