Is MrBeast Burger still open or gone for good?

MrBeast Burger’s story has shifted from viral launch to legal stalemate. The ghost-kitchen brand still appears on delivery apps in dozens of states, yet its founder has walked away and partner restaurants keep exiting. The result is a scattered map of kitchens that may or may not answer the door when you hit “order.”

Brand origin and rapid rise

Jimmy Donaldson launched MrBeast Burger in December 2020 as a delivery-only concept cooked inside partner kitchens. The model let the YouTuber expand without building physical stores, and his audience pushed the count past 1,700 locations in roughly two years. Revenue peaked near $64 million in 2022 before quality complaints began to cut into repeat orders.

Early menus leaned on oversized burgers, chicken sandwiches, and crinkle fries branded with Donaldson’s signature style. Delivery apps showcased the items nationwide, and the promise of a MrBeast-branded meal arriving at the door felt novel enough to drive first-time trials. That novelty faded once reviews started mentioning undercooked patties and missing items.

The licensing deal left day-to-day food safety with Virtual Dining Concepts, the operator that recruited kitchens. Donaldson retained the name rights but had limited oversight once orders left his own channels. The structure worked for scale and proved fragile when standards slipped.

Partner exits reshape the map

Red Robin announced its departure from MrBeast Burger in 2023 and has since confirmed the split remains in place. The casual-dining chain cited a renewed focus on its core menu and franchisees, removing dozens of kitchens from the network in one stroke. Other regional operators followed, trimming availability without a formal brand-wide shutdown.

Brandmarch data through October 2026 shows 245 active locations across 39 states. That figure reflects 166 closures against only 32 new openings in the preceding twelve months, a net contraction that continues month to month. Some ZIP codes that once listed multiple kitchens now show none.

Remaining partners tend to be smaller operators or ghost-kitchen facilities that still see value in the residual traffic. Their continued participation keeps listings visible on DoorDash and Uber Eats even as the brand’s overall footprint shrinks.

Customer complaints keep surfacing

Review platforms record recurring issues with raw meat, cold fries, and missing sauces. Mystery-shopper checks cited in court filings showed wrong-order rates around five percent, more than double the internal target. Each negative experience reduces the chance of a second order and accelerates the cycle of declining sales.

Social-media threads from 2025 and 2026 document users who ordered only to learn the listed kitchen had already stopped preparing MrBeast Burger items. Others received food that matched the menu photo but arrived in generic packaging, further diluting brand identity.

MrBeast publicly distanced himself from the operation in a series of now-deleted posts, stating he wished he could close the concept but remained bound by contract terms. The statements fueled speculation that the brand had already ended, yet kitchens in several states continue to fulfill orders.

Legal battle locks both sides in place

Beast Investments sued Virtual Dining Concepts in 2023, alleging poor quality control, unpaid royalties, and unauthorized use of the MrBeast name. VDC countersued for more than $100 million, claiming interference and breach after failed renegotiation talks. The consolidated case sits in New York Supreme Court under index 653908/2023.

A January 2026 hearing featured testimony on customer complaints that the judge called “very compelling,” yet she questioned whether long-term brand damage could be quantified. She urged both sides toward a settlement to avoid a public trial that would expose internal messages and revenue figures.

Filings show revenue had already dropped to roughly $45 million by 2023. Neither party has secured an exit that satisfies the original contract, leaving kitchens contractually obligated to keep serving MrBeast Burger meals while litigation drags on.

Delivery-app visibility versus reality

Listings still appear in markets such as Colorado and Georgia, and the signature Beast Style Burger remains on the menu. Availability, however, varies sharply by ZIP code and time of day. Drivers sometimes arrive at a restaurant only to learn the MrBeast station has been dismantled.

App screenshots shared on X in recent months show restaurants toggling the brand on and off within days, a pattern consistent with kitchens quietly exiting the program. The result is a checkerboard of open and closed listings that frustrates customers trying to gauge whether MrBeast Burger is still operating.

VDC maintains that operations continue “to the greatest extent possible,” but the company has not released updated location counts or marketing support. Without fresh promotion from Donaldson, visibility relies entirely on algorithmic placement and residual name recognition.

Financial stakes for both parties

Virtual Dining Concepts continues to collect licensing fees from the remaining kitchens, yet the declining order volume reduces the value of those fees. The company has acquired other virtual concepts, including Man vs Fries, as a hedge against further erosion of the MrBeast line.

Donaldson’s side argues that reputational damage extends beyond burger sales and affects his broader portfolio of brands. Court papers reference internal texts in which he described feeling “hostage” to the deal and floated ideas for a future relaunch under tighter quality controls if termination can be achieved.

Neither side has disclosed current royalty figures, but the gap between 2022 and 2023 revenue suggests the brand is no longer a meaningful profit center for either party. The litigation now functions more as a negotiation over exit terms than a fight over ongoing revenue streams.

What remains on the menu

Active locations still list the Chandler Style Burger, classic crinkle fries, and rotating chicken sandwiches. Pricing has stayed consistent with the original launch, though portion sizes and packaging quality vary by kitchen. Some customers report receiving generic take-out bags instead of branded boxes.

No new menu items have been introduced since Donaldson stepped back from promotion. Virtual Dining Concepts has not announced limited-time offers or regional exclusives that once helped drive app downloads during the brand’s peak.

The absence of updates reinforces the sense that MrBeast Burger is running on inertia rather than active management. Kitchens fulfill existing orders but lack incentive to invest in training or equipment upgrades that could address earlier complaints.

Industry context for virtual brands

Many delivery-only concepts launched during the pandemic have since folded or pivoted. Chains that once embraced virtual brands now cite rising food-cost volatility and driver shortages as reasons to exit. MrBeast Burger’s trajectory mirrors that broader correction, only with higher public visibility because of its founder’s profile.

Analysts note that licensing deals without operational oversight struggle once initial hype fades. The model works for short-term reach but leaves quality control in the hands of partners whose priorities may shift once customer interest cools.

Future virtual launches by major creators are expected to include stricter performance clauses and shorter contract windows. The MrBeast Burger case has become a reference point in those negotiations, cited by both operators and talent representatives when discussing risk allocation.

Outlook and next steps

MrBeast Burger continues at several hundred locations, down from its peak. The brand operates without Donaldson’s promotion or endorsement, and new customer complaints still surface on delivery apps. A settlement or trial ruling could change the map again, but for now the kitchens keep the lights on while the lawyers negotiate.