Wayback Burgers is bringing its griddles to Locust Grove, signing a lease for a new restaurant in the Market Place area and plugging into a growing retail stretch south of Atlanta. The fast-casual chain is set to join Henry County’s expanding burger lineup near the Tanger outlet complex, adding another national name to the mix. The company lists the Locust Grove spot as “Coming Soon,” but has not yet shared when locals can expect the first order to hit the fryers.
Details of the lease were first reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which noted that the signing plants the brand on metro Atlanta’s south side. The outlet framed the move as part of a wave of pre-leasing at the new Market Place development, where national tenants are staking out storefronts ahead of full build-out.
On its own site, Wayback Burgers lists Locust Grove as “Coming Soon” at 595 Market Place Boulevard, confirming a reserved unit in the shopping center. The listing puts the restaurant among several planned openings, but does not yet provide a projected opening date or name the local franchise operator.
Market Place project and traffic draw
The future Wayback slot is part of the Locust Grove Shops project, a new strip center marketed as a Walmart-shadow pad with cross access and sightlines that appeal to outlet shoppers. Marketing materials for 595 Market Place Boulevard show multiple demisable bays and lean heavily on the project’s proximity to Tanger Outlets and Interstate 75 as a magnet for national brands. Leasing details and a site brochure are posted by Council.
What to expect on the menu
Wayback’s playbook centers on made-to-order burgers and hand-dipped milkshakes, the kind of comfort food that pairs well with outlet shopping bags in the back seat. Signature items include the “Cheeeesy,” a double-patty burger stacked with four slices of American cheese that routinely shows up on local store menus. That kind of indulgent lineup tends to resonate in family-focused suburbs and near regional retail draws. Menus compiled by SinglePlatform confirm the Cheeeesy as a headliner.
The brand has been quietly but steadily growing across the country. As of mid 2025, Wayback Burgers reported operations in roughly 36 states with more than 170 restaurants. That footprint, and a continued push for new leases, helps explain why franchisees are circling high-traffic retail corridors like Locust Grove’s outlet hub.
For now, an exact opening date and franchisee details remain under wraps, both in initial media coverage and on the company’s own pages. Locals watching for a launch will have to keep an eye on the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the brand’s online listings, which at publication time offered confirmation of the deal but no firm timeline for the first burger flip.
