Restaurant chains have confronted a whole bunch of closings in 2025, with some operators compelled to file Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 chapter safety to liquidate belongings.
In some circumstances, restaurant chains shut down all areas with out submitting for chapter. That was the case with 88-year-old informal eating chain Ok&W Cafeterias, which operated eight areas in North Carolina and one in Virginia.
The restaurant chain, based in 1937, had grown to 35 areas earlier than it began downsizing after the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Ok&W Cafeterias, which was a preferred Southern comfort-food, cafeteria-style restaurant chain for many years, closed all 9 of its areas on Dec. 1, 2025, with a message on its Fb web page, which has since been disabled. The corporate’s web site has been disabled, as properly.
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Ok&W Cafeterias based 1937.
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Operates as much as 35 areas earlier than 2020.
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Closes remaining 9 eating places on Dec. 1, 2025.
The 88-year-old restaurant chain’s web site had included a farewell message that it posted on its areas’ entrance doorways.
“We’re sorry to announce that after proudly serving this and lots of different communities for years, Ok&W Holdings Group LLC will likely be closed completely. All current areas closed efficient 12/1/2025. We thanks on your help all through our years in enterprise. Ok&W Holdings Administration.”
A number of different informal restaurant chains have filed for chapter and shuttered areas this 12 months. Italian restaurant chain operator Bravo Brio Eating places LLC, the dad or mum firm of in style upscale Italian restaurant chains Bravo Italian Kitchen and Brio Italian Grille, filed for Chapter 11 chapter for the second time in 5 years on Aug. 18, 2025, to reorganize its companies and restructure debt.
Widespread Mexican chain, Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant, filed for Chapter 11 chapter in September 2025, blaming rising prices, labor points, and declining gross sales. The corporate had about 40 areas at its peak, however had diminished to 16 eating places when it filed for chapter.
And now a franchisee of the 84-year-old fast-casual restaurant chain Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has filed for Chapter 7 chapter liquidation to shut down a California location.
Elk Grove, Calif. franchisees Miguel Zarate Ortiz and Maria Zomeno Sevilla filed their petition within the U.S. Chapter Court docket for the Japanese District of California on Dec. 8 itemizing solely $17,987 in belongings and about $1.04 million in liabilities, the Sacramento Enterprise Journal reported.