Bahama Breeze abruptly closed 15 areas, or greater than one-third of its chain, this week as a pointy decline in shopper sentiment hammers fast-casual eating places.
The favored Caribbean-inspired eating chain shuttered eating places throughout the nation, together with 4 in New Jersey and the only real location on Lengthy Island.
“We believe this is the right decision because it will allow Bahama Breeze to focus on its highest performing restaurants and strengthen the brand’s overall performance,” proprietor Darden Eating places informed The Submit in an announcement.
Closed areas:
- Lake Grove, NY
- Paramus, NJ
- Toms River, NJ
- Wayne, NJ
- Woodbridge, NJ
- Daytona Seashore, FL
- Gainesville, FL
- Naples, FL
- Oakland Park, FL
- Dawn, FL
- Schaumburg, IL
- Tyngsboro, MA
- Troy, MI
- Las Vegas, NV
- Memphis, TN
The corporate is making an attempt to rent as many impacted workers as doable at close by Darden-owned eating places, a spokesperson mentioned. All different staffers will likely be paid severance, she added.
Bahama Breeze has simply 29 eating places remaining after struggling a gross sales stoop final 12 months, down 7.7%, based on information from restaurant analysis agency Technomic.
A number of different informal eating chains have turned to restaurant closures to remain afloat as customers develop extra hesitant.
In March, Crimson Robin introduced it’s contemplating plans to shut 70 areas after recording a $32.4 million loss from the “review of underperforming restaurants.”
TGI Fridays closed 12 areas throughout the US in only one month final October, together with three in New York state. The chain additionally shuttered 35 eating places throughout the pond.
And in Could, embattled seafood chain Crimson Lobster abruptly sealed the doorways at 50 eating places nationwide, together with greater than a dozen in New York and New Jersey.
Shopper sentiment has solely worsened, plunging in April to its second-lowest studying on document as People concern the consequences of President Trump’s commerce warfare, based on a College of Michigan survey.
The outlook for inflation additionally grew extra dire as year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 7.3% from 6.5% final month.
Retail spending slowed in April after clients had rushed to front-load their purchasing in March forward of the tariffs, based on the Commerce Division.
