All articles tagged with #restaurant closures
The final Hooters location in Jacksonville has permanently closed following a state health inspection that cited rodent droppings and dead roaches. The Mandarin restaurant, which opened in 1986, was the last of three Northeast Florida locations to shut down. The closure follows a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2025 and a subsequent restructuring that reduced the chain's U.S. footprint to approximately 208 locations.
O’Charley’s is reportedly closing all corporate restaurants as owner Cannae Holdings accelerates a strategic portfolio review, shrinking from a peak of 250 units to 49 company-owned and 3 franchised; second-quarter same-store sales declined about 13.1%, and ongoing losses prompted monetization of noncore assets and a shift toward higher-return opportunities in sports and entertainment.
Marmalade Cafe, an Encino-based Southern California cafe chain known for brunch, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing assets and liabilities between $1 million and $10 million and debts of more than $1 million to creditors including Gilmore Farmers Market and US Foods. Four locations remain (El Segundo, Malibu, Sherman Oaks, Westlake Village) after several closures linked to construction at The Commons at Calabasas and other headwinds, such as the Palisades fire's toll and pre‑pandemic momentum challenges; management remains hopeful the remaining cafés will stay open.
Nashville-based O’Charley’s Restaurant & Bar is closing all remaining company-owned locations nationwide, ending a 55-year run. Tennessee spots including Clarksville, Hermitage, and Nashville are set to close by 8 p.m. on Sept. 9, with the Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia location—the last in the Chattanooga area—also shutting down. The chain, founded in 1971 and once expanding to about 52 locations, has not commented and has disabled its social media accounts.
Hickory Tavern has closed four restaurants—three in the Charlotte area and one in Columbia, SC—as part of a strategic pivot to focus resources on locations with stronger long-term potential. Remaining area locations include North Charlotte, Ballantyne, Indian Trail and Rock Hill, with staff being transferred where possible. The chain is owned by Artistry Restaurants, which acquired Hickory Tavern in early 2025.
Salad and Go, the Arizona-born drive-thru chain, will permanently close all remaining Arizona locations on Aug. 5, 2026, citing sustained pressure on consumer demand, past strategic growth challenges, and rising costs; Texas and Oklahoma stores had already closed earlier, and the founders left in 2021 to start Angie’s Food Concepts.
Outback Steakhouse, a 38-year-old chain owned by Bloomin’ Brands, closed 21 underperforming restaurants and will not renew leases on 22 more as part of a turnaround to redeploy resources to healthier units, sharpen value, and improve execution. The move comes amid competition from Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn and follows earlier closures in 2025; management says the overhaul has already boosted guest scores and brand trust in Q1, though the casual-dining sector overall remains challenged by inflation and softer traffic.
Beef shortages and rising costs are squeezing Texas barbecue joints, with several closures amid dwindling cattle supply and elevated brisket prices; economists warn relief could take years as herds rebound and operators try to pass costs to customers.
Texas barbecue joints across Texas are shutting down as wholesale beef costs spike and inflation crimps margins, forcing higher menu prices that many customers won't bear. Closures include Brett’s BBQ Shop and Kirby’s BBQ, among others, as brisket costs rise to roughly $5–6 per pound wholesale and cooked prices can reach $35–$40 per pound; industry blame points to a shrinking cattle herd, higher feed costs, and consolidation in meatpacking.
Beef prices in the U.S. have surged to record highs, with April retail beef at about $9.64 per pound (up roughly 13% YoY), squeezing profit margins for Texas BBQ joints that rely on brisket; several famed eateries have closed or warned they’re at risk as costs mount, including higher brisket prices and broader inflation, tariffs, and meatpackers’ pricing. Regulators are probing major meatpackers, while the White House weighs tariff adjustments that could affect beef costs for diners and restaurants.
Australian fast-casual Guzman y Gomez abruptly closed its Naperville location along with seven other Chicago-area restaurants, citing weak U.S. sales and a decision to stop expanding. The company will wind down operations and not move forward with announced new sites, with co-CEO Steven Marks saying the U.S. performance was not acceptable and branding in Chicago and through suburban drive-thrus was challenging.
Five Guys is permanently closing four California locations (Whittier, City of Industry, Merced, and Hanford), resulting in about 55 layoffs, citing financial hardship and rising operating costs. The closures highlight price pressures and wage hikes in California’s fast-food scene, even as the chain remains active in the state and recently topped a national fast-food burger ranking.
USA TODAY reports that Sailormen Inc., the Florida-based Popeyes franchisee operating more than 130 restaurants, plans to close three Georgia locations (1817 Glynn Ave., Brunswick; 628 W Parker St., Baxley; 419 S Church St., Homerville) as part of Chapter 11 proceedings that also include 17 prior closures in Georgia and Florida. Sailormen cites weak foot traffic, inflation, and a failed 2024 restaurant deal; Popeyes says the bankruptcy does not reflect the brand’s overall health.
Papa John's will shutter 300 restaurants by end-2027 as part of a cost-cutting push to boost growth, with 200 closures planned by year-end and the rest by 2027. CFO Ravi Thanawala cited underperforming locations or sites that can transfer sales to nearby outlets. The chain has about 6,000 locations in 50 countries; 2025 revenue was $2.1 billion with shrinking profits, and the stock has fallen roughly 31% over the past year. The company also cut its corporate workforce by 7%, to about 104,000 employees as of March 2025.
Papa John’s says it will close roughly 300 underperforming North American restaurants by the end of 2027, about 200 of them this year, as part of a turnaround plan following a weak quarter. The closures accompany a roughly 7% cut to its corporate staff and come after a 5.4% drop in North American same-store sales in Q4; CEO Todd Penegor cited a weak consumer backdrop and promotional environment while rivals like Pizza Hut and Domino’s show a mixed picture.