Wahlburgers delays opening of St. Charles restaurant

After hinting that its new St. Charles restaurant would begin operating next week, Wahlburgers has decided to postpone the opening of its first suburban location until the end of the month.

The new burger chain at 825 S. Randall Road was expected to open Tuesday, per a social media post earlier this week featuring the company's winking co-founder, celebrity Donnie Wahlberg. The short video clip was shared by the St. Charles location's Facebook page, saying, "We're so excited to welcome you through our doors."

But restaurant leaders have since decided to delay the opening until the end of July, they announced in a statement Friday.

"The team is taking a few extra weeks to make sure they can give guests the best dining experience possible," the statement said.

Bringing his business venture to St. Charles has been a longtime goal for Wahlberg, who lives in town with his wife, actress and TV personality Jenny McCarthy, and their sons. The Massachusetts-based chain was founded in 2011 by him and his two brothers, actor Mark and executive chef Paul.

The St. Charles restaurant - the second Illinois location - was slated to begin operating this past April, more than a year after a ceremonial groundbreaking kicked off construction. But the COVID-19 crisis pushed back the opening, as company leaders navigated the struggles of the pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home order, Wahlberg said in an Instagram post.

Wahlburgers is one of three new buildings constructed on a Meijer outlot at Route 38 and Randall Road, one of the city's busiest intersections, officials said. The establishment is expected to contain a dining area, a full-service bar and an outdoor patio, as well as memorabilia from Wahlberg and McCarthy to set it apart from other locations.