The Whataburger at 262 Bypass 72 NW in Greenwood is closing for good this Thursday at 7 p.m., less than a year after it first opened its doors. The burger chain says the decision came after a routine business review, closing the book on a location that welcomed its first customers in September 2025.
According to WYFF, the closure won't leave South Carolina without options, since the chain still operates 16 other restaurants across the state once the Greenwood store shuts down. The station's report frames the move as part of Whataburger's continued footprint in the region even as this particular site goes dark.
Nearest Whataburger Now a 40-Mile Drive Away
Once the Greenwood location closes, the Anderson restaurant at 2900 North Main Street becomes the closest option, roughly 40 miles away and about an hour's drive. A Whataburger in Simpsonville, located on Fairview Road, sits a similarly long drive from Greenwood, meaning Upstate customers in that corridor will need to plan ahead for their next burger run.
A Pattern Emerging Across the Upstate
Greenwood's shutdown isn't an isolated event. As reported by the Post and Courier, Whataburger permanently closed its Woodruff Road location in Greenville in May, marking the chain's first Upstate South Carolina closure less than two years after that store opened. The same outlet has also reported on Whataburger's expansion across South Carolina, underscoring just how fast the chain expanded before this round of closures began.
Rapid Expansion Under New Ownership
Whataburger's presence in the Palmetto State is still relatively young. In a company announcement tied to its debut, the chain opened its first South Carolina restaurant in Boiling Springs on July 15, 2024, marking its entry into its 16th state. Whataburger President and CEO Ed Nelson has personal ties to the area, having attended middle and high school in Simpsonville before graduating from Clemson University, according to the Upstate Business Journal.
The chain itself has a much longer history. Founded in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950, Whataburger remained family-owned until 2019, when Chicago-based merchant bank BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority stake to accelerate national expansion, per Wikipedia. Before opening its first South Carolina stores, the company developed its supply chain, a process that delayed expansion, and uses fresh beef and produce in its Southeastern restaurants, according to South Carolina Public Radio.
Whataburger's Broader Footprint
The chain's operations extend beyond South Carolina. Even with these closures, the chain remains a major national player, operating more than 1,100 restaurants across 17 states and employing over 51,000 workers as of early this year, according to DMR.
The Greenwood restaurant was located at 262 Bypass 72 NW. The store held its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce on September 11, 2025, when the location, officially designated Unit #1610, opened with promotional giveaways.
Despite the closures, the company maintains it remains committed to serving South Carolina and continues to grow across the Southeast, per WYFF's report. For Greenwood-area customers, that commitment will now mean a longer drive to Anderson or Simpsonville for their next Whataburger order.
