‘Blue Bloods’ Star Donnie Wahlberg Facing Big Business Setback

The actor known for playing Detective Danny Reagan isn’t doing too well these days.

Donnie Wahlberg, along with his brothers Paul and Mark Wahlberg, have closed nearly 80 locations of their fast-food franchise Wahlburgers this year.

According to reports from USA Today and Eat This Not That, 79 locations of the franchise were closed simultaneously this year.

The closed locations were inside Hy-Vee grocery stores, ending the partnership between the fast-food joint and the Iowa-based grocery chain that has existed since 2017. Wahlburgers CEO Randy Sharpe said the situation is “not 79 restaurants closing,” however.

“If you saw what was being shuttered, it’s a food court kiosk. It’s not a full-service restaurant, and it wasn’t a significant revenue driver for either side,” Sharpe said.

The once-popular Wahlburgers chain is now down to just 32 locations. Last year saw several Wahlburgers locations in the Midwest United States close permanently, as well.

Wahlburgers was founded by chef Paul Wahlberg alongside his movie-star brothers in 2011. The first location was opened in Hingham, Massachusetts.

The restaurant chain was initially so successful that A&E greenlit a reality series about the operation of the restaurants, also titled Wahlburgers. It ran for 10 seasons, from 2014 to 2019, and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program in its first and second years.