Another popular restaurant chain has shut down yet another location, adding to a wave of closures sweeping through the dining industry. The growing list of shutdowns has become an unsettling trend, showing no signs of slowing, as even established brands face mounting challenges
Despite an aggressive expansion strategy in recent years, opening various restaurants across new markets, the economic pressures affecting the broader food service industry appear to have caught up with this once fast-growing brand.
Founded in 2003 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by two former LSU basketball players, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux has built a strong following with its Cajun-inspired American cuisine, wide selection of beer, and walls covered by big-screen TVs broadcasting live sports games all day long. Growing from a single location to nearly 80 restaurants across 12 states, this chain has become a favorite among sports bar-going fans.
In 2022, the company opened an Atlanta office to support its rapid growth, aiming to reach 100 locations through franchise development and corporate expansion while keeping its headquarters in Baton Rouge.
Two years later, Walk-On’s signed a 20-restaurant development deal to open locations across Georgia and Tennessee, featuring a more cost-efficient restaurant format aimed at boosting profitability without sacrificing quality.
But somewhere along the way, the brand’s momentum appears to have stalled. In recent months, Walk-on’s has quietly begun closing multiple locations, signaling a possible shift in strategy.
Walk-On’s closes its Las Vegas restaurant
Walk-On’s has permanently closed its Las Vegas location inside the Harrah’s Hotel & Casino, a little over three years after opening.
A sign posted on the restaurant’s front door read: “Thank you for your support! Walk-On’s has permanently closed its doors. We appreciate all our customers over the years.”
The Las Vegas location has since been removed from the company’s website, and no official statement has been released regarding the closure or potential job losses.
When it first opened in March 2022, the restaurant was expected to create 180 jobs as part of a partnership with Harrah’s parent company, Caesar’s Entertainment, aimed at expanding the chain’s footprint in high-traffic, profitable markets, according to the press release.
Walk-On’s closes multiple locations nationwide
The Walk-On’s Las Vegas closure marks the sixth location shuttered this year, with some locations closing without explanation and others citing underperformance.
Walk-On’s 2025 location closures
- Broussard, Louisiana: Closed February 3, 2025
- Acadiana, Louisiana: Closed February 3, 2025
- Bristol, Tennessee: Closed February 3, 2025
- Opelika, Alabama: Closed February 3, 2025
- Waco, Texas: Closed on May 3, 2025
- Las Vegas, Nevada: Closed November 4, 2025
Source: The Street.
Broader restaurant industry struggles
While restaurant lifespans vary on the Las Vegas Strip, ranging from decades-old establishments to brand-new ones, competition is intense across the industry.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that about 17% of new restaurants close within their first year. Long-term restaurant survival is even more challenging, with approximately 50% of restaurants closing within five years and only 34.6% surviving past the 10-year mark, according to Oysterlink.
Related: Iconic Las Vegas Strip casino sold in unexpected $1.16 billion deal
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) operates over 50 resorts and casinos worldwide, including 15 in Nevada, and maintains partnerships with dozens of brands for in-house dining concepts.
Although Caesars owns the majority of casinos and hotels on the Strip, economic uncertainty, growing competition, and rising costs of food, labor, and rent, paired with reduced consumer spending and traffic, are factors that cannot be avoided.
More Restaurant Closures:
- Popular local bakery chain closing all stores next month
- Starbucks closes more stores in a key market
- Another Mexican restaurant closes for a surprising reason
Overall traffic in the food service industry declined 1% in the quarter ending June 2025, according to Circana.
“This poses a significant challenge for restaurants, as home-cooked meals directly substitute demand for dining establishments, translating to reduced revenues and declines in customer traffic as demand shifts to grocery stores for ingredients,” said Coresight Research analyst Sujeet Naik.
Although Walk-On’s is privately held and doesn’t release financial results, it is far from immune to the pressures faced even by larger competitors.
In 2025 alone, major chains such as Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, Starbucks (SBUX), and Denny’s (DENN) have all faced mass closures and layoffs, shrinking their national footprints to cut costs and remain profitable.
“Consumers are saying, ‘We’re struggling, or we’re beginning to struggle or we’re thinking more carefully about what we spend,'” said Harvard Business School Consultant and Lecturer on Restaurants Michael S. Kaufman. “I don’t know that the ability to maintain the large fleets of traditional casual dining restaurants can continue.”
