Poll of the Day > Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday? Chain files for bankruptcy, closes 185 locations

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/10/ruby-tuesday-closes-185-restaurants-after-filing-bankruptcy.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/10/07/ruby-tuesday-closing-185-restaurants-chapter-11-bankruptcy/5907136002/

It's not completely gone, but it has closed 44% of its locations.

But CEO Shawn Lederman said in a court filing the company has permanently closed 185 restaurants that had shut their doors during the coronavirus pandemic. That leaves the chain with 236 company-owned and operated locations, as well as an undisclosed number of locations run by 10 franchisee groups.

Coincidentally, it was the answer to a clue on Jeopardy tonight.

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I don't think I've ever been to or seen one of those

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I used to enjoy eating there but there aren't any very close to me right now

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvp6gseKJS8

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And nothing of value was lost.

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Ours closed like three years ago.

I don't think I have been to one since the 90's.

They're not going away entirely.

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Krow_Incarnate posted...

They're not going away entirely.

Neither is Sears, but this IS 2020 so...

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There are 2 locations I know of within 20 miles of where I live - need to check if they're still around or closed for good, though.

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I've been there once

Incredibly long wait time for food to arrive

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I thought they had already closed.

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I've never even heard of it.

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Zeus posted...

Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday?

As soon as I read that topic title, I immediately started thinking of ways in which Elton John could change the lyrics of Candle in the Wind again to commemorate it.

But then I remembered Ruby Tuesday isn't a dead blond, so it doesn't count.

(And also, the Rolling Stones already wrote a song singing goodbye to Ruby Tuesday 50 years ago. Which I'm assuming was your intended joke.)



Zeus posted...

It's not completely gone, but it has closed 44% of its locations.

I wonder what proportion of them are the ones in malls. Those seem like the ones that would be harder to salvage business from during pandemic times than free-standing locations.

I'd also be curious to know how similar places like Friendly's, Fridays, and Applebees are weathering things. I always sort of lump all those places together in my head (occasionally throwing places like Uno's into the mix).

Not that I'd necessarily miss any of them - I think the last time I was in a Ruby Tuesday was in 2001. Me and a bunch of friends of mine did shots at the one in our local mall before we wandered over to the movie theater and watched The Forsaken.
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I still get food from them semi-regularly via Door Dash.

Their bourbon sauce burger is really damn good.

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The closest one to Cali is in New Mexico

Is the menu burger based or is there a variety of stuff to eat?

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The one near me closed down and it was open as long as I've been alive.

Dont care, but Ill be in mourning for ten years if they close Dennys

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ParanoidObsessive posted...

(And also, the Rolling Stones already wrote a song singing goodbye to Ruby Tuesday 50 years ago. Which I'm assuming was your intended joke.)

Yes, and also how the chain got its name in the first place.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

I'd also be curious to know how similar places like Friendly's, Fridays, and Applebees are weathering things. I always sort of lump all those places together in my head (occasionally throwing places like Uno's into the mix).

Friendly's has been having issues for years. The company declared bankruptcy in 2011, then closed 9 locations in CT in 2012, and then just another 3 locations last year (as part of a larger closing of 23 locations in the Northeast).

https://patch.com/connecticut/danbury/friendlys-close-danbury-restaurant

https://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Friendly-s-to-close-Danbury-shop-2-more-on-I-84-13750851.php

And I didn't realize that Friendly's was a regional chain, given that it's apparently in most of the states where I've lived over the years. (And the News-Time article lists CT as having 17 locations, but I'm not sure how accurate that is and I'm wondering if which was likely the previous number before all the closures began. )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly%27s

The history has been surprisingly fascinating. However, I'm not really seeing news for any of those this year despite the assumption that they must be struggling in the midst of these current economic conditions.

(And, not for nothing, but I've always loved Friendly's.)

JixHedgehog posted...

Is the menu burger based or is there a variety of stuff to eat?

It's basically like an Applebee's, there's a variety of stuff. Come to think of it, they've got a salad bar so maybe it's not that much like an Applebee's. I can't really think of any fast casual dining places that still do salad bars besides them. Maybe Sizzler? Although apparently Sizzler filed for bankruptcy last month.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizzler

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I think there was one near where I lived in Florida, but I haven't been close to one in years.

I went like twice. It was decent but way too expensive for the quality of food.

I do not care for it in the slightest.

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SunWuKung420 posted...

And nothing of value was lost.

Too many NDAs?
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Zeus_LLC posted...

It's basically like an Applebee's, there's a variety of stuff. Come to think of it, they've got a salad bar so maybe it's not that much like an Applebee's. I can't really think of any fast casual dining places that still do salad bars besides them. Maybe Sizzler? Although apparently Sizzler filed for bankruptcy last month.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizzler

Ah gotcha, yeah sounds like a combo of Sizzler (I had no idea they were also in trouble) and Applebees (even the building design looks the same)

Right now I can't think of any chain restaurant not in trouble

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Zeus_LLC posted...

And I didn't realize that Friendly's was a regional chain, given that it's apparently in most of the states where I've lived over the years.

Same. I always assumed it was a national chain until I found out they're mostly just concentrated in the Northeast.

Then again, I generally assume the same about most regional chains (whether restaurants or grocery stores or anything else). I've spent most of my life avoiding the rest of the US like the plague except for occasional excursions, so I've never really had a chance to see what places I think of as commonplace and ubiquitous are completely unknown outside of the NY/NJ/Conn/Penn/Mass/RI/NH/Ver/Maine/Del/Mary/Ohio zone.

Or as I like to call it, "The Civilized World".
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No. There are none in my area.

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I had friends that worked there. So we could get discounts. And free stuff, sometimes... This was many years ago, though. Like over a decade, I believe... But I'll miss it. It wasn't like it was my favorite place to eat or anything, but I didn't mind going there...
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I only remember going to one once but I may have gone more when I was younger than that.
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