New Perkins Road restaurant will debut a more efficient, flexible model designed around how today’s sports fans eat, watch and connect
BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, named ESPN’s #1 Sports Bar in America, is investing in its Baton Rouge roots with plans for a new company-owned restaurant at 8150 Perkins Road that will showcase the next generation of the sports bar.
Targeted to open in early 2027, the restaurant will debut Walk-On’s new prototype, designed to reflect how today’s fans watch, follow and experience sports while creating a more efficient model for restaurant operations and future growth. This represents a significant investment in the market where Walk-On’s was founded in 2003 and began franchising in 2014.
“This is a full-circle moment for Walk-On’s,” said Brandon Landry, founder and CEO of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. “Baton Rouge is where we started 23 years ago, and it’s the right place to introduce what’s next. We’re investing in our hometown while building on what we’ve learned over more than two decades about what makes a great sports bar.”
The new prototype will feature a 3,500- to 4,500-square-foot footprint, compared with Walk-On’s traditional 7,000- to 8,000-plus-square-foot format. The design prioritizes visibility to multiple screens, improved acoustics and a more efficient kitchen and back-of-house operation, while supporting takeout, catering and other off-premise occasions.
Targeting a development investment of less than $2 million, the smaller, more flexible format is also designed to lower financial barriers, reduce development complexity and open new site opportunities, including end-cap and in-line spaces. For Walk-On’s, that means making the dream of owning a local sports bar more attainable for a broader range of entrepreneurs, while giving existing operators more flexibility to grow. The approach reflects the brand’s commitment to franchisee success in response to rising construction costs, labor pressures and inflation.
“This isn’t a smaller Walk-On’s. It’s a smarter one,” Landry said. “Today’s sports fans have different needs, so we challenged ourselves to rethink the traditional sports bar from the ground up, from how much space we need, how the kitchen operates, where guests sit and how they watch the game. The result is a model that’s simpler to operate and more flexible to build, without compromising the scratch-made food, game day energy or community that define Walk-On’s.”
The Perkins Road restaurant will be the ninth Walk-On’s location in Baton Rouge and 20th in Louisiana. With nearly 80 locations nationwide and several additional restaurants expected to open by the end of 2026, Walk-On’s is continuing to expand its footprint while investing in the future of the brand and its franchise system.
For more information about Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux or franchising, visit WalkOns.com or WalkOnsFranchising.com.
About Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, named ESPN’s #1 Sports Bar in America, offers scratch-made Louisiana-inspired dishes in a family-friendly, game-day atmosphere. Founded in 2003 in Baton Rouge by LSU Basketball walk-ons Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, it has expanded to more than 80 locations nationwide. Walk-On’s is accelerating growth in markets across the country and is consistently ranked in Top 500 lists for Restaurant Business, Entrepreneur, Franchise Times and Nation’s Restaurant News. Partners include co-owner Drew Brees, famed football players Dak Prescott and Derrick Brooks and college football coach Dabo Swinney. Learn more at walkons.com.
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SOURCE Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
