Beloved Restaurant Chains We Might Sadly Lose In 2020

No, we can't say for certain that these restaurants will be gone for good in 2020. After all, many of them are revamping their menus and business models in the hopes of staying afloat. But will they succeed? Here are some chains that might be closing in 2020 unless things turn around.

Hungry? Well, perhaps a pop into Perkins will do the trick. But good luck finding a Perkins restaurant. As of November 2019, there are only 300 Perkins locations scattered throughout the United States. While it's unlikely that every location will be boarded up by the end of 2020, the restaurant chain has definitely seen better days.

Perkins is in financial trouble. In August 2019, Perkins & Marie Callender's Inc., which merged in 2006, filed for bankruptcy protection, and 10 underperforming Perkins restaurants were closed. Business isn't exactly on the upswing, either. In September 2019, the restaurant group split after 13 years of partnership, and now Perkins is part of the Waffle House knockoff Huddle House.

The brand has blamed dwindling guest traffic, minimum wage hikes, and the labor market for its struggling restaurants. Those struggles, though, have been going on for years.

Filing for bankruptcy protection, closing multiple restaurants, and ending a once successful business relationship? None of this suggests good things are on the horizon, but perhaps it isn't all doom and gloom. Huddle House is reporting pretty strong business, so maybe some of that energy can be transferred over to Perkins.

We wish we could tell you Marie Callender's is in good shape, but unfortunately, that's not the case. In fact, it's safe to say Marie Callender's is seriously struggling right now, so gather ye pot pies while ye may!

"The warm, home-cooked happiness of Marie Callender's pot pies. So delicious because we start from scratch!"

There are only 28 Marie Callender's restaurants still operating, and it's worth noting that there were nearly twice as many locations still open in 2017. It doesn't take a mathematician to see that this spells bad news for a brand. In August 2019, the brand lost 19 locations, but a Salt Lake City location did later reopen. So there's that?

While Marie Callender's has been around since the 1940s, it was clearly the weaker link in the partnership with Perkins. Perkins was sold to Huddle House for $51.5 million, but Marie Callender's fetched a far lower price, selling for just $1.75 million. It wasn't picked up by another brand, but it was purchased by a new company that named itself Marie Callender's Inc. The brand is having a tough time competing with similar chains such as the Black Bear Diner.

Long story short, if you have a Marie Callender's in your town, enjoy it while you can.

Rotisserie chicken restaurants aren't exactly spreading like wildfire these days, and even Boston Market is struggling to stay afloat. In fact, numerous locations are on the chopping block, even though the chain offers slow-roasted chicken that's free of antibiotics.

"In a world of fake, fried and frozen, Boston Market promises to make food good."

In July 2019, the company announced that 10 percent of its stores would be closing for good. In a letter, CEO Frances Allen claimed these closures were necessary, writing that:

"We must take steps to ensure our operational structure will support long-term sustainability. Part of that effort involves continuously analyzing our geographic footprint and real estate portfolio to assess the ongoing viability of locations."

Unfortunately, sales were down in 2018, too. In fact, Boston Market's financial troubles go back at least 20 years. Before Boston Market was bought and subsequently sold by McDonald's, the chain filed for bankruptcy in 1998.

The company is clearly hoping to turn things around, offering a new loyalty program, menu additions, and a revised branding strategy to accompany mobile ordering. Only time will tell if this bird is cooked for good.

Keep watching the video to find out more about restaurant chains that we might sadly lose in 2020.

#Restaurants #SteaknShake #TimHortons

Perkins | 0:16
Marie Callender's | 1:36
Boston Market | 2:51
Red Robin | 4:05
Tim Hortons | 5:41
Steak 'n Shake | 7:07
Ruby Tuesday | 8:31
Friendly's | 9:33
Luby's | 10:43
Pie Five | 12:03