Gotta hanker in for Hardee's? Wish you were at Wendy's? Well, uh, bad news. Because these
iconic chains are about to become a whole lot less iconic. Blumen Brands is the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and
Bonefish Grill. Founded in 1988 in Tampa, Florida, this is one of the largest companies
of its type, with about 1,450 restaurants under its umbrella. Yet, despite that impressive
size, the business is closing some of its locations this year. Beginning in 2025, Blumen
closed 21 restaurants across its three brands. It also announced plans to refrain from renewing
leases for 22 additional restaurants starting in 2026 and continuing through 2030. However
the company hasn't specifically indicated where and when these closures will take place
prompting concern from employees and customers. If the boss like you give them two weeks' notice when you quit
why you not give them two weeks' notice before they can find one job? Overall, customers are sad to see these brands leave their communities
Speaking about Outback, one Reddit user said, I ate there monthly as a tradition with my family after I left for college
We recently started taking my boys, and they loved it. I'm not saying it's the highest quality, but man, my family enjoyed a lot of meals there
RIP. Want to hear something delicious? Founded in 1951, Jack in the Box provides an extensive menu and service for 18 to 24
hours a day at over 2,200 locations. In addition to burgers and those iconic curly fries, this fast food mainstay also offers
tacos, milkshakes, and chicken sandwiches. But even Jack has faced his fair share of financial challenges, forcing the company to
unveil its Jack-on-Track strategy in 2025 to help improve the bottom line
While there are several different aspects to this plan, Jack in the Box has announced that it plans to close 150 to 200 restaurants and sell its Del Taco brand
Consequently, 80 to 120 stores were scheduled to close between April 2025 and the end of
that year, while the rest will likely occur in 2026, though a time frame in exact locations
were not specifically identified. These closures also don't include the company's ongoing annual closure rate of 1% either
which begins in 2026. One franchise owner in Arizona noted on Reddit that they had to close four restaurants due to
expiring franchise agreements and ADA-compliant renovations. Perhaps most critically, customers on Reddit seem to agree that the food quality at Jack in the Box has been lacking lately
but that doesn't mean there isn't some sadness over the closures. Since 1969, Wendy's has been famous for its legendary square burgers and Frosty desserts
These days though sales haven been growing nearly as much as the company would like Hey where the beef I don think there anybody back there In November 2025 Wendy reported sales of roughly billion
which represents an annual decrease of 2.6%. Shrinking sales may be part of the reason why Wendy's consequently announced that it would be
closing a small percentage of its more than 6,000 restaurants, with struggling outlets first on the
chopping block. On the other hand, interim CEO Ken Cook has insisted that improvements will be made
to some restaurants, including changes to equipment and the overall customer experience
In other cases, the company will transfer ownership to a different operator. Unfortunately for Wendy's, the problem may run deeper than some outdated kitchen gear
As one Reddit user writes, the issue is it's price the same as a Chili's or Applebee's or Texas Roadhouse burger now
With more than 1,650 locations worldwide, Denny's has more than made its mark on the
casual dining scene, offering countless customers a range of beloved country-style breakfasts
In recent years, however, the company has faced some serious financial challenges
leading to restructuring and restaurant closings. I mean, it's literally ran into the ground
and it's so sad because Denny's is not a bad company. These changes began in 2025, when Denny's HQ shut down around 100 restaurants
with more planned to close in 2026. Denny's hasn't made an official announcement as to how
many locations will be closing this year, and it's notable that many of the closures so far
in states such as Michigan and Texas, have come without warning. Additional changes to the Denny's formula may occur later in 2026. The company was
acquired by a number of capital investment groups in a $620 million deal that was finalized in January
2026. Subsequently, the company's CEO, Kelly Vallade, stepped down in February. While it
remains to be seen how the brand will change going forward, it's clear that the closures have
elicited varying reactions from longtime customers. One Reddit user said that they will miss Denny's
because it allowed their pregnant wife to get breakfast anytime she had a craving. Meanwhile, another Reddit user highlighted some of the company's issues, writing
"...they got way too expensive. You can get better food at the same price or cheaper elsewhere.
Famous for its range of cheesecakes, duh, The Cheesecake Factory is a casual dining chain that offers a truly expansive menu
The brand began back in 1972, when Evelyn Overton and her husband opened the Cheesecake Factory
Bakery in Los Angeles. Since then, this well-known chain has become a popular spot for lunch or
dinner not to mention you know the obvious Sadly The Cheesecake Factory has been struggling in some markets and at the beginning of 2026 the company began quietly closing some restaurants across a number of states So far there been no announcement concerning further closures although customers on social media have been speculating about the brand permanent closure
for years. Founded all the way back in 1960, Hardee's has since become renowned for its
scratch-made biscuits and hand-battered chicken tenders, as well as its unique offerings of burgers
and fries. But a recent lawsuit filed against franchisee Ark Burger, due to missing payments
for royalties, training fees, rent, taxes, and more, has forced numerous Hardee's locations to
close in 2026. Ark Burger shuttered at least 77 Hardee's locations across eight states in January
alone, although some industry experts indicate that Hardee's could reopen some of the closed
restaurants once the lawsuit is settled. Elsewhere, there's been no word on whether
other Hardee's locations may close in 2026. That said, the company has shut up shop in a number of
places in recent years. In 2023, it closed at least 40 locations due to the bankruptcy of
another franchisee. And in 2024, Hardee's closed at least eight other restaurants. Locations in a
further seven cities were closed down in 2025, too, so it's safe to say that it's not looking good for
2026. I'll have a salad. Try again. I'll have the burger. Red Robin has been dealing out burgers and
bottomless fries to a base of loyal followers for decades, but it, too, has hopped aboard the
struggle bus in recent years. For instance, the company announced that it was considering closing
70 restaurants in 2025 to help curtail some of its losses. For a while, though, the implementation
of the company's Big Yum Value Mill program seemed to turn things around. This news led Red
Robin to walk back its plans to close many of those locations. By the beginning of 2026
however, Red Robin was suddenly closing restaurants again, often without warning. The company has not yet announced if additional restaurants will be closed
in 2026. Noodles & Company is a fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in preparing
made-to-order noodle dishes. Sadly, after struggling in some areas of the country
the chain is closing underperforming restaurants in order to refocus and rebuild. This new approach began in 2025, with the shuttering of 33 company-owned restaurants
and nine franchises. Corporate has since announced plans to close between 30 and 35
additional restaurants across the United States in 2026. Joe Cristina, the company's chief executive
officer and president, told investors the goal is to focus on the restaurants that are most likely
to thrive. He also speculated that closing the initial 30 or so restaurants helped the company
achieve an increase of 6 in system comparable sales in the fourth quarter of 2025 Longtime customers and employees alike have mixed opinions about the closures however Some Reddit users feel they long overdue for a struggling company while others are deeply disappointed
Known for its damn good tacos, hand-pressed tortillas, and specialty queso, Torchy's Tacos
is a customer favorite in many areas. Yet, despite the restaurant's popularity, its sales
have been struggling, and the company has shut a number of locations in 2026 so far
Damn good food, hot-fire strains, and a damn good excuse to clock out early
The goal is to zero in on the restaurants and its high-performing markets and improve customer experience. In a statement published by Restaurant Business, a representative said
We're confident these moves will put us in the strongest position for sustainable growth
moving forward. Customers on Reddit don't seem too surprised that some of their local
Torchy's establishments are closing, noting that the quality and service have faltered lately
As one customer put it, They've gone downhill fast. Every single time we order, something is wrong with the order
and reporting it doesn't do anything. It's a shame, but not a surprise either
Like so many other casual dining chains, Smokey Bones has experienced less-than-stellar growth
lately, and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2026. This has led the
company to shutter dozens of Smokey Bones restaurants so far. Depending on how the
bankruptcy plays out, industry experts speculate that the chain could shut down altogether
This would mean the closure of all Smokey Bones locations, or at the very least
a conversion to Twin Peaks Lodges. As this brand is owned by the same parent company
Twin Hospitality Group. To date, there are only about 20 Smokey Bones locations left operating
Houlihan's is a casual dining restaurant and bar that, once upon a time, was truly thriving
In 2026, however, the chain has been quietly closing some of its restaurants
often very suddenly. One restaurant closure in Savannah, Georgia had some Reddit users
up in arms since workers were put out of work with no warning at all. Industry experts indicate that Houlihan's, which got its start in 1972
had as many as 140 locations at its peak. Now, it has fewer than two dozen listed on its website
These closures may have something to do with the fact that the company has filed for bankruptcy
on multiple locations, and according to some Reddit users, these closures make sense in many
ways. One user said, "...I've always assumed once you become an early bird, older crowd spot, your time is ticking.
Meanwhile, another Reddit user said they liked going to Houlihan's because they could always
get in on a Friday night, which, when you think about it, might explain why that particular location is no longer open