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BJ’s furloughs 200 restaurant managers, 40 corporate employeesBJ’s furloughs 200 restaurant managers, 40 corporate employees

Casual-dining brand also temporarily closes 4 units amid coronavirus restrictions

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

April 17, 2020

2 Min Read
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BJ’s Restaurants Inc. is furloughing about 200 restaurant managers and 40 support center employees and temporarily closing four units amid coronavirus restrictions, the company said Thursday in federal filings.

The Huntington Beach, Calif.-based casual-dining brand in early April had temporarily laid off about 16,000 hourly restaurant workers but continued to operate its 209 restaurants with take-out and delivery.

“While the company’s sales continue to increase week over week since the change to an off-premise only business, the company has decided to temporarily close four restaurants, effective April 17,” BJ’s executives noted in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

“The company will continue to regularly evaluate the strength and weekly growth of off-premise sales and associated cash flows for all restaurants and has every intention to reopen these locations as the country begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the filing said.

BJ’s said CEO Gregory Trojan and other senior executives would reduce their base salaries by 20% as of April 22 and reduce pay for support center staff.

The company said it would reduce, on a sliding scale, the salaries of support center employees making $100,000 a year or more by 10% to 20% effective April 22.

Related:Dine Brands Global furloughs some office staff, freezes new hiring, in response to coronavirus

“While the company is not obligated to do so, it is the company’s intention to repay all or a portion of these reduced salaries and cash retainers” should business conditions improve, the filing said.

Furloughed restaurant managers and corporate employers will continue on the company’s benefits program through June 30, the company said.

For the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, BJ’s net income rose to $14.5 million, or 75 cents a share, from $10.7 million, or 49 cents a share, in the prior-year period. The quarter’s income reflected two sale-leaseback transactions. Revenues grew about 3.1%, to $291.1 million, from the year-ago quarter. Same-store sales in the quarter rose 0.4%.

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Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

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About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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