Foster's Grille Restaurant Founder, Shawn Foster, Dies

Shawn Foster, the founder and creator of Foster’s Grille the popular “charburger” franchise in Northern Virginia, died this month, two weeks shy of his 48th birthday, according to a Wilmington Star-News obituary.

A funeral service for Foster was held on Thursday in Wilmington, NC, according to the obituary. He died on June 10. 

Foster’s Grille is well known throughout Virginia where there are nine locations, including the founding location in Vienna.
There are 16 Foster’s Grille locations across Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Florida. Six are owned by Foster’s Grille Companies while the others are franchises.

Many residents have fond memories of Shawn Foster, who began grilling burgers in1999 and opened the first Foster’s Grille in Vienna in April of 2002.

In Vienna, the restaurant was often home to fundraising dinners for schools or charities.

 "Shawn was a good friend to many people, in many different parts of the country. He had a huge heart and his generosity was never fully known because he did not broadcast it to everybody," Haymarket resident Kim Kennedy told the Gainesville Times.

Shawn Foster and the Foster’s Grille Companies announced in May that the company was relaunching its franchising program with plans to expand the company's presence to 50  stores  in the mid-Atlantic region and the Southeast, according to a press release issued May 22 by Mike Cerny president of the Foster’s Grille Company.

Foster is survived by Nancy Foster, his wife of more than 20 years,  and two sons, Drew and Dillon.