Wahlburgers Opens In St. Charles After Pandemic Pushbacks

ST. CHARLES, IL — Actor Donnie Wahlberg threw open the doors Tuesday to the first Wahlburgers restaurant in St. Charles — and the second in Illinois — more than three months after initially planned due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hundreds of people were on hand for the grand opening, where Wahlberg was joined by his wife and TV/radio host Jenny McCarthy, according to a report by the Kane County Chronicle. The celebrity couple moved to St. Charles in 2015.

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Wahlberg founded the Wahlburgers restaurant franchise with his two brothers, actor Mark and chef Paul. The brand’s St. Charles location was initially scheduled to open in early April at the intersection of Route 38 and Randall Road, but Donnie Wahlberg postponed the opening about a month after the outbreak of the coronavirus.

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The restaurant looked set to open two weeks ago, but company executives delayed that until Tuesday “to make sure they can give guests the best dining experience possible.”

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Wahlburgers employees are required to wear masks, practice social distancing and sanitize every surface to keep customers safe, Paul Wahlberg told the Kane County Chronicle. Customers must also wear masks while inside the restaurant.

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The chef also said Mark Wahlberg would likely make an appearance at the restaurant “in the next couple of weeks,” the report states.

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