Comet Burgers quietly shut down its St. Clair Shores drive‑thru today, pulling the plug after roughly a year of service at the retro‑styled Harper Avenue window. The closure was announced on the brand’s social page and sparked a wave of reaction from customers who had been using the drive‑thru. The chain’s original Royal Oak restaurant remains open for service while the company figures out its next steps.
As reported by The Detroit News, Comet told followers on Facebook that the decision came with “mixed emotions” and used the post to thank staff and guests for their support. The outlet noted that the Harper Avenue window was the brand’s attempt to transplant its downtown diner vibe to Macomb County.
Royal Oak location stays open
Comet’s official website still lists its Royal Oak restaurant as operating daily and shows a menu loaded with classic diner fare, including sliders, cheeseburgers, breakfast items, coney dogs and milkshakes, according to Comet Burgers. The brand’s online ordering options continue to route customers to the downtown spot even as the company winds down the St. Clair Shores window.
How the Harper Avenue outpost launched
When it opened, the Harper Avenue drive‑thru operated out of a converted Checkers and leaned into a retro, 1950s‑style look, with local coverage at the time highlighting free slider promotions tied to community events. ClickOnDetroit reported on the conversion and early plans for the outpost.
Local listing shows closure, industry trend noted
Local directory listings now mark the Harper Avenue address as closed, a sign that the drive‑thru window is no longer taking orders at that location. MapQuest currently lists the St. Clair Shores entry as closed, and national coverage suggests many drive‑in and drive‑thru concepts have been trimming locations amid changing consumer habits.
Analysts say the shift toward delivery, off‑premises ordering and a return to dine‑in options has made some small standalone drive‑thrus harder to sustain, with similar pullbacks by regional operators reported this year. TheStreet recently examined the retrenchment among drive‑in concepts.
