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All the restaurant chains that announced mass unit closures in 2020

Breakfast, casual dining and family dining seemed to suffer more closures than other segments in the industry

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

December 21, 2020

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This year seemed to be defined by “under-performing” units closing by the hundreds across the restaurant industry.

Not only was the entire industry hit by COVID-related indoor-dining closures, but the decrease in ordering food – in spite of the success of The Great American Takeout and Paycheck Protection Program loans – caused many restaurant groups to face large financial strains.

Starbucks, one of the top 10 restaurant chains on NRN’s Top 200, suffered because of a workforce that went largely remote and abandoned the breakfast daypart. Dunkin’ also faced the same issues.

Between the two quick-service giants, over 1,600 domestic units were permanently closed.

Other brands, such as Ruby Tuesday, Sizzler, Luby’s, Le Pain Quotidien and Thompson Hospitality declared bankruptcy, resulting in the closure of all units.

Family dining saw large financial downturns during the pandemic as well.

IHOP franchisee CFRA Holdings closed 49 restaurants, Denny’s franchisee Feast American Diners closed 15 restaurants and Dine Brands itself announced the possible closure of 100 company-owned IHOP units.

See which restaurant groups and franchisees closed units this year in the midst of COVID.

Read more about:

Dine BrandsDunkin’IHOP

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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