Bennigan's Files For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Closes Restaurants Nationwide
Bennigan's all around the nation have abruptly closed today, after the chain's parent company filed for bankruptcy. The Chicago Tribune dropped by the Bennigan's at 255 N. Michigan Ave., and found a sign on the door of the restaurant that said "Closed for Business as of Tuesday, July 29."
NBC5 in Dallas called a local restaurant and was told, "We won't be opening anymore," and a manager added, "This sucks. I'm out of a job."
Details are hard to come by, but CBS 2 Chicago is reporting that the closure applies only to corporate-owned stores nationwide, and that independent franchise locations will remain open. Unfortunately for Bennigan's fans, CBS 2 says the company has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which means that the restaurants are being liquidated and will not be staying in business. The station's legal analyst says that Chapter 7 bankruptcy means that it is unlikely that employees will get their last paycheck.
Bennigan's Restaurants Shut Down Nationwide [CBS 2] (Thanks, Joel!)
(Photo: zesmerelda )
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Comments:
Shoulda been you, TGI Friday's.
All employees are hereby requested to turn in all their pieces of flair before collecting their last check. Thank you, signed, Mr. Bennigan.
Poor Butters won't be going to Bennigan's anytime soon. Well, shoot.
Bennigans is where I celebrated part of my 21st birthday. We started with beer and food at Hooters, then stumbled/walked next door to Bennigan's for real drinks.
Since they won't be honoring coupons, does this mean Canada is going back on strike?
As long as Old Country Buffet stays open, I'm okay.
Bennigan's was a staple of my college days. I'm curious to drive by the one near me in NoVA to see if it's still open now.
Where is Butters going to eat now? ... sorry, had to do it.
Oh man, on my last business trip there was a Bennigan's right next to the hotel (20 second walk) and the staff there gave me about a case of free beers over the course of the week. Cause and effect or did they know something?
I wonder what that place will be next time I go there.
Man, that's a big suck for the folks that work there. I feel bad for em.
"Aw hamburgers!"
Why couldn't it have been Applebees?
:(
They had the best chicken tenders and fries.
My husband used to work there in his college days as a cook. He brought home the most yummy food.
Interestingly, I'm on their coupon mailing list and I got a notification of a sale going on this week. You'd think if they were in trouble they'd ease up on coupons and sales. Of course, who knows who they're going to sell my email to
I had no idea people loved Bennigans this much. I thought it was just another cheese/greasy chain joint.
shame, it's one of the better chain bar/night life restaurants. their guiness burger was terrific, as well as most of their menu.
Too bad. I didn't go there too often but the few times I did the ice cream cake dessert where they pour chocolate over it and it hardens is the best!
When they liquidate their stores it's going to be like the most awesome garage sale ever. I call dibs on the lifesize carousel ponies and old fashioned tennis rackets!
"The station's legal analyst says that Chapter 7 bankruptcy means that it is unlikely that employees will get their last paycheck."
Raid the store!
Take all the 'flair' off they walls they can carry! That, and a 2 week's supply of split pea soup and mozzarella sticks.
Really though, if you heard you weren't getting a paycheck, and that the store wasn't going to re-open again, wouldn't you (and your manager) pretty much raid the hell out of the place before locking up and leaving?
@Fujikopez: Call them up and find out who their supplier is. Hell, you might be able to buy some of the frying medium and some frozen food off them, they obviously need the money.
@AaronZ: "wouldn't you (and your manager) pretty much raid the hell out of the place before locking up and leaving?"
Hells yeah! The bar at the one I was at was 15 taps long and made of solid oak. I'd rip that up and take it home for my basement bar. It was beeyootiful!
Fuddrucker's, anyone?
@CaliforniaCajun: Except since they filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy,
...which means that the restaurants are being liquidated and will not be staying in business. The station's legal analyst says that Chapter 7 bankruptcy means that it is unlikely that employees will get their last paycheck.
They say that the location on Michigan Ave (Across from the Art Institute) was the busiest Bennigans location and one of the busiest restaurants in the world (in terms of number of tables and percentage full). It's constantly packed. I guess one restaurant can't keep the rest afloat.
There was a Bennigans in Columbia, MD to which I used to take my out of town visitors. I wonder if it is even still there. They used to push the 'beer club card' or whatever it was on all the customers. I always used to wonder just how often you had to eat at Bennigans and just how much beer you had to drink for it to pay off.
OMG!!! Where-oh-where will I ever get my Monte Cristo fix again!!! ARGH!!
My body craves the battered and deep fried ham/turkey/cheese goodness at least once a month!
@pr0FF3ss0r_j3rkwh3at's lost baseball season: The one at Fair Oaks Mall is where I rang in my 21st birthday quite some time ago. Suddenly I'm nostalgic. I really loved their broccoli bites.
Bennigans has been on my do-not-eat list for a while. Just another chain restaurant with the same menu, except now everything is fried. Hopefully this will just push my coworkers toward actually trying something new sometime.
@testsicles: Hauling out the food and liquor and the craptastic stuff on the walls is one thing. Taking fixtures is another. Those fixtures belong to the landlord who's totally 'flaired' right about now. Please be kind.
My least favorite place to get precooked crap. They won't be missed, not as long as I have my Flannigan's, TGI Friday's, Applebee's, and Chili's.
I'm surprised so many people on here love Bennigan's...I have nothing but complaints from scowering the web about slow service and bad food. I haven't eaten in one in 10 years (not because I thought it was terrible, just out of my way)
Was that the place with the honey-butter croissants? Years ago (15 years, seriously), a friend and I ordered those, and somehow the order got mixed up and kept getting refilled, over and over. We had never eaten there before and honestly thought it was some kind of bottomless honey-butter croissant basket or something. Those were good. We went back a few times, hoping it would happen again, but no such luck.
The honey-butter croissants are the only things I miss now that I have mostly given up chain restaurants.
Monte Cristo, where will I get you now???? I could only get you in Florida, and now never again. Well, except for that place in St. Thomas that had one like it, but that's an expensive trip for a good sandwich.
Wait, no, I think that was a Rafferty's. Who can tell them apart? The only chain restaurant that really stands out to me is Applebee's, and that's because I waited tables there and know that it is, in fact, the door to the underworld and to be avoided at ALL costs. The others I visit very rarely, but are okay for "any port in a storm" emergencies.
Other than the bar and decor,Bennigan's and Friday's are like a glorified McDonald's with table service. At least Friday's changes its menu often. The new stuff by Guy Fieri from the Food Network is pretty damn tasty
Last went into Bennies when on vacation in St. Pete Beach. Ugh. If swallowed,do not induce vomiting,call physician immediately. I haven't had a worse meal since I was a 20 year old bachelor (and made it meself). I left half and got out of there quick.Good God,I believe they deep fried the iced tea. All in all,no loss here...
@Snarkysnake: I don't know what's wrong with you, but I love a cold burger, soggy fries, and dirty silverware. In all fairness though, that's bad management not bad food, but still, every single time.
@allnitecp:
OMG!!! Where-oh-where will I ever get my Monte Cristo fix again!!! ARGH!!
There's a bar in St. Thomas, USVI that makes a very good one. :p They're right near the port. Not one of those grilled french toast sandwiches, but they didn't have the raspberry jelly. :(. But, you'd have to really be addicted. I'm sure they're somewhere else, I just haven't found them yet.
@pr0FF3ss0r_j3rkwh3at's lost baseball season:
I almost shot Diet Coke out my nose. :p I'll have to remember that!
I once had a girlfriend whose favorite restaurant was Bennigan's. No, we're still not together.
I used to eat at Bennigan's a lot in college until I graduated and figured out that Bennigan's was nasty. There was a Bennigan's on Michigan Ave. in Chicago that I went to once and it was seriously the dirtiest chain restaurant I had even eaten at.
I'm not shedding a tear although it sucks if you worked there.
I have to agree with those who are surprised that so many people liked them I never liked their food. That really sucks for the employees as if they don't get screwed enough with their $3 a hour pay but I guess in retrospect maybe it's better they get most of their wages in tips.
@RabbitDinner:
I wonder if one or two of the other major chains will shut down by year's end. The market for these major chain theme restaurants is saturated, and most Americans don't exactly have the income to spend eating out at these mediocre restaurants.
I usually don't like places like this, but their Monte Cristo sandwich was the best.
This sucks. I wonder if the ones in other countries (Korea, etc) will also be closing.