All of its nearly 100 locations are permanently closed due to the pandemic. Sweet Tomatoes, a buffet franchise that has had locations in Georgia for years, has announced it will close all of its nearly 100 locations due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full Answer
Why did Sweet Tomatoes Close?
The owner of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant chain said the company will permanently close all of its locations as a result of coronavirus shutdowns, according to news reports.
Is Sweet Tomatoes bankrupt?
The owner of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Garden Fresh Restaurants opts for liquidation rather than reopening its buffet-centric restaurants due to coronavirus restrictions. By Jonathan Maze on May 15, 2020. Garden Fresh Restaurants, the owner of buffet-centric chains Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection as the company opts to liquidate its assets and close its doors for good.
Is sweet tomatoes closed forever?
The owner of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant chain confirmed the company is permanently closing all of its locations as a result of coronavirus shutdowns. As news of the potential closures was widely shared on social media throughout the day Friday, the company was publicly silent.
Did all Sweet Tomatoes Close?
parent of buffet-style concepts Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, filed for bankruptcy Thursday after shutting down all 97 of its restaurants. The Southern California-brand opted for a Chapter 7 filing, meaning it will surrender its assets and close ...
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How many stores does Garden Fresh have?
Garden Fresh plans to close 20 to 30 underperforming locations. The company has 124 units, primarily on the West Coast and in the Southwest. The brands are known as Souplantation in Southern California and Sweet Tomatoes elsewhere.
Who owns the San Diego company?
The company said it plans to close locations and put itself up for sale. The San Diego-based company, owned by the private-equity group Sun Capital Partners Inc., reported between $1 million and $10 million in assets, and between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities.
Which companies have filed for bankruptcy?
Other companies that have filed for bankruptcy include Buffets LLC, the parent to Old Country Buffet and HomeTown Buffet; Fired Up Inc., the parent to Johnny Carino’s; Logan’s Roadhouse Inc.; and Last Call Guarantor LLC, the parent to Fox & Hound and Champps.
Does Garden Fresh have a deal with lenders?
Garden Fresh said it has a deal with lenders to restructure its debt.
Why is takeout not available outside of pizza buffets?
Because their service models are built on people dining in and serving themselves, takeout has been less of an option outside of pizza buffet concepts. Many of them have therefore closed their doors altogether and hoped for the best.
Is Sweet Tomatoes going bankrupt?
The owner of buffet brands Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes plans to file for federal bankruptcy protection and could close all 97 of its locations permanently, the company ’s CEO said Thursday.
Will Haywood reopen?
While he wouldn’t completely rule out a reopen under a new model, Haywood said, “ We don’t see a viable way to reopen.”. That’s a disappointing result for a company that had been on the comeback trail since emerging from bankruptcy in 2017.
Will Garden Fresh reopen?
In an interview with Restaurant Business, CEO John Haywood said he sees no “viable way to reopen” the chain’s restaurants, given federal recommendations that buffets and salad bars not reopen as states start easing requirements on dine-in service. San Diego-based Garden Fresh is known most for its 50-foot salad bars.
Where is Sweet Tomatoes located?
A Sweet Tomatoes in Kendall, Florida. Sweet Tomatoes, operating as Souplantation in southern California, was a United States -based chain of all-you-can-eat buffet -style restaurants. The first location opened in 1978 in San Diego, California, where the company was headquartered. The company was incorporated as Garden Fresh Corp. in 1983.
Why are all of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurants closed?
In March 2020, all of the restaurants closed due to state and local government mandated shutdowns as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 7, 2020, the company announced it would be closing all Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes locations permanently amid concerns that new federal guidelines recommending an end to self-serve stations would prevent local health departments from granting permits to restaurants with salad bars and buffets.
When did Sun Capital Partners buy Garden Fresh?
In 2005, an affiliate of the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners purchased Garden Fresh and with it the restaurant chains. In 2007, a Souplantation restaurant in Orange County, California was linked to an outbreak of E. coli. The restaurant closed temporarily while authorities investigated the outbreak.
Is Garden Fresh going bankrupt?
At the time Garden Fresh was nearly $175 million in debt. In January 2017, the company said it expected to emerge from bankruptcy later that month, following a sale of the company's assets to New York-based private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management L.P. and its partners.
Is Garden Fresh a Chapter 7 company?
Garden Fresh Restaurants, the parent company to both Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, filed for Chapter 7 liquidation with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court the following week on May 14. At the time of the announcement, the company had 4,400 employees and 97 restaurants.
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