The Varsity Locations Near Me 2026
The Varsity runs 8 full-service restaurants across Georgia in 2026, including the downtown Atlanta flagship, plus two spots inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Locations span Norcross, Kennesaw, Dawsonville, Bethlehem, Cartersville, Rome, and Watkinsville. Use the official store locator on thevarsity.com to find the closest one.
Here’s the thing about The Varsity: it’s one of the most famous drive-ins in America, but you can’t just stumble into one wherever you live. Every single restaurant sits in Georgia. Frank Gordy opened the first one in 1928, right across from Georgia Tech, and the family has kept it going ever since.
So if you’re planning a trip to Atlanta, or you already live there and somehow haven’t been, knowing exactly where the restaurants are saves a lot of guesswork. Before you head out, take a peek at the full The Varsity menu with prices so you know what to order when the counter crew asks, “What’ll ya have?”
How Many The Varsity Locations Are There in 2026?
The Varsity runs 8 full-service restaurants across Georgia in 2026, plus two quick-service spots inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. On top of that, they roll out 6 food trucks for events around the Atlanta area.
Honestly, that number surprises people. A place this famous feels like it should be everywhere, right? But the Gordy family has always kept things close to home. The downtown Atlanta location is still the star of the show: at its peak it was called the world’s largest drive-in, with room for more than 800 diners inside and hundreds of cars outside. Car-side service ended in 2020, but the counter is still buzzing.
And here’s a fun one. On Georgia Tech football game days, the downtown spot can see up to 30,000 visitors. Thirty thousand! It also claims to be the single biggest seller of Coca-Cola in the world. Whether you buy that or not, the place moves serious volume: roughly two miles of hot dogs, 300 gallons of chili, and 5,000 fried pies made from scratch every day.
Where Are All The Varsity Restaurants? (Addresses)
Seven of the eight restaurants sit around metro Atlanta and North Georgia, plus one in Rome and one in Watkinsville. Here is every current address:
| Location | Address | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Atlanta (Flagship) | 61 North Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30308 | Opened 1928. Mon-Thu 10am-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-12:30am, Sun 10am-11:30pm. Phone: (404) 881-1706. |
| Norcross (Gwinnett) | 6045 Dawson Blvd NW, Norcross, GA | The Varsity Norcross is the Gwinnett County favorite, easy stop off the highway. |
| Kennesaw | 2790 Town Center Dr NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | Behind Macy’s at Town Center Mall. Mon-Sun 11am-8pm. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. |
| Dawsonville | 73 Bethel Dr, Dawsonville, GA | Handy if you’re heading up toward the North Georgia Premium Outlets. |
| Bethlehem | 410 Exchange Blvd, Bethlehem, GA | Opened in 2023, one of the newer locations east of Atlanta. |
| Cartersville | 185 Lakepoint Pkwy, Cartersville, GA | Serves the northwest corridor toward the Tennessee line. |
| Rome | 879 Spider Webb Dr SE, Rome, GA | Opened spring 2024 after construction ran a little long. |
| Watkinsville | 2271 Hog Mountain Rd, Watkinsville, GA | Opened April 2025 in a former Burger King. Sun-Thu 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm. |
| ATL Airport | Concourse F (International) + Terminal C, Gate C21 | The Varsity airport spots are past security, so you’ll need a boarding pass. |
A quick note on hours: the Kennesaw and Watkinsville hours above are current, but hours can shift by location, season, and holidays. The downtown spot stays open latest on weekends. Always double-check the official locator before you drive out, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas when some locations close early or shut for the day.
How Do I Find The Varsity Nearest to Me?
The fastest way is the official store locator on thevarsity.com, which lists every restaurant with directions. Typing “the varsity near me” into Google Maps works just as well and will route you to the closest one.
Got a layover at Hartsfield-Jackson? You’re in luck, sort of. Both airport locations are inside security, so you can only reach them with a boarding pass. The Concourse F spot sits in the international terminal’s upstairs food court, and the domestic one is at Terminal C, Gate C21. Plenty of travelers plan their connection around a chili dog. Can’t blame them.
If you’re calling ahead for a big group or catering (they do catering across metro Atlanta, as far east as Conyers and Stone Mountain), the downtown number is (404) 881-1706. Game days are the one time I’d really plan ahead, since the crowds near Georgia Tech get wild.
Is The Varsity Opening New Locations?
Yes, The Varsity has been growing again after years of staying put. Rome opened in spring 2024, Watkinsville opened in April 2025, and Bethlehem opened in 2023. That’s three new restaurants in three years, which is a lot for a chain that spent decades barely moving.
Not every location survived, though. The longtime Athens spot on West Broad Street closed in June 2021 after roughly 90 years in the Classic City, and the Alpharetta location closed back in 2016. If you grew up going to the Athens Varsity, Watkinsville is now your closest option.
So the map keeps shifting a little. For the latest openings, the official locator is always the source of truth, since new spots can pop up (or close) without much warning.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many The Varsity locations are there in 2026?
There are 8 full-service The Varsity restaurants in Georgia, plus 2 quick-service spots inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and 6 food trucks serving the metro Atlanta area.
What are The Varsity’s Atlanta locations?
The downtown Atlanta flagship sits at 61 North Ave NW. Around it you’ll find restaurants in Norcross, Kennesaw, Dawsonville, Bethlehem, Cartersville, Rome, and Watkinsville, plus two spots inside the ATL airport.
Does The Varsity have a restaurant at Atlanta airport?
Yes, two of them: one in Concourse F of the international terminal and one at Domestic Terminal C, Gate C21. Both are past security, so you need a boarding pass to reach them.
Is the Athens Varsity still open?
No, the Athens location on West Broad Street closed in June 2021 after about 90 years. The nearest Varsity now is the Watkinsville location at 2271 Hog Mountain Rd.
Prices last verified: October 16, 2026. Addresses and hours checked against the official Varsity store locator at thevarsity.com, the source of truth for locations and holiday hours.
