Southern burger chain Krystal files for bankruptcy

www.washingtontimes.com ^ | 01/23/2020 | staff

[Red Badger]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Krystal Co., the Georgia-based restaurant chain known for tiny hamburgers and late-night service across the Southeast, has filed for bankruptcy, but said Tuesday that all of its locations would remain open.

Federal court documents showed Krystal sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Atlanta on Sunday. The company said it owed between $50 million and $100 million to food suppliers, equipment companies and others.

Krystal has about 300 restaurants in 10 states, 182 of which employ 4,890 people and are operated by the company, restructuring officer Jonathan M. Tibus said in a court filing. Another 116 are run by franchisees, he said.

The company previously closed more than 40 restaurants, including 13 that shut down in December, over the past year, according to court documents. Shifting consumer tastes, growing costs, tight labor markets and the growth of online food ordering all contributed to the company’s financial problems, Tibus said.

“The actions we are taking are intended to enable Krystal to establish a stronger business for the future and to achieve a restructuring in a fast and efficient manner,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.

[justme4now]

175 locations throughout Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Louisiana, with the bulk of them in Miami.

[Magnum44]

Well, I have lived there since 1979 so to me it’s a memory, which was what this whole thread was about.

[leaning conservative]

When my grandparents drove to Ohio from Indiana to take me back with them for weeks in the summer we always stopped at Stuckeys. Had no idea they were still around!.

Great memories of my grandfather always buying a pecan log for us to share. Thanks for the post.

[Magnum44]

If you mean the Marietta square, I saw my first James Bond movie at the square theatre (Diamonds are Forever) in what, 69’?

West of the railroad tracks about 10 miles is where I grew up, lost mountain.

[Magnum44]

I think I remember the Krystal you are referring to. The Hardee’s on the west side of the tracks was where I flipped burgers my junior summer.

[SaveFerris]

Ah the good old days of America.

Around 1970 or so, seems like I got one (or two possibly) McD hamburger(s), fries and a small Coke for less than $1 (remember getting change back).

just can’t remember if it was one small burger or two. Been too long. If they were 15 cents at McD.....

[PAR35]

Lost Mountain was out in the country back then. But which theater on the square. There was the big one at the corner (later an off brand church when I was through there a decade or so ago - it was the Strand back in the day) and a much smaller, crummier one toward the middle of the block closer to the Dunaway’s drug store. (Cobb Theater, maybe. Google indicates my brain is still working.) I don’t think I was ever in the Strand. I was in the small one once for a friend’s birthday.

[AFreeBird]

Yea, Hardy’s even had a throw back (around these parts anyway) to Burger Chef a couple of years ago. Selling Big Chef’s and other BC fare. Back in the day I loved BC, didn’t care for Micky D’s.

Still don’t really. And not real thrilled with Hardy’s either.

[ConservaTeen]

Krystal closed their store on Fletcher in Tampa, another on Hillsborough Ave is open.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Another lost fast food chain....I used to love Winkies growing up in the Pittsburgh area. There was one on the road from Homestead into Squirrel Hill, just across the High Level Bridge (can’t remember the road name). My dad would stop there on Sundays when he was taking me to Forbes Field to watch a ballgame and I would get their fried chicken.

[Magnum44]

I’m pretty sure it was the strand. It was right on the square on the NE corner (if I remember my bearings)

[Magnum44]

There was something addictive about a Hardee’s vanilla shake back in the eighties. I got one every time I went there, which was probably 3 or 4 times a week. Sometime in the late 80s or early nineties they changed the formula and I never liked them after that. Probably best as my metabolism was slowing down by then and if I had kept up that many milk shakes a week I’d be in real trouble today. LOL

[higgmeister]

Well, I have lived there since 1979 so to me it’s a memory, which was what this whole thread was about.

Until your reply # 24 made a tangent into KFC and Burger Chef, this thread was about the Krystal Restaurant chain filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring.

[Magnum44]

Honestly, I don’t know why some people want to post just to get down on others.

The post has lots of people chatting about lots of old restaurants and burger stops besides Krystal’s. The kfc was just a geographic reference for folks who might have seen the chicken but may not recognize Marietta or hwy 41 where the Krystal I remember going to was.

How many threads have you seen with off topic posts anyway? Do you go around policing all those as well Paul Blart, or did you just feel like letting everyone know that YOU didn’t need a reminder of the big chicken? Excuse me for not sticking to the strict subject of thread title.

[catnipman]

“I remember Krystals at 5 cents apiece!”

ditto ...

[Magnum44]

I can’t quite remember nickel burgers. I can recall 15 cent per gallon gas.

[kalee]

I remember those directions. lol It seemed like every direction to anywhere in Marietta involved passing the Big Chicken.

[kalee]

My favorite fast food hamburger is the Frisco Melt at Steak and Shake. Yum!

[wardaddy]

You had a Dog and Suds on Terry road further out

You were too young for the Hullabaloo no?

[wardaddy]

Old days Krystal was all nighter

And served counter service and waitress breakfast

When u could drink at18 pre MAAD Madame Defarges everywhere

It was a good place to eat intoxicated late night

I saw a Hurst Olds 442 crash thru the glass at the krystal near Meadowbrook mart in 1973

That guy is a lawyer in Jackson now like his daddy was

I saw the notorious Ronnie Tisdale beat a guy down hard at the krystal near Westland plaza in 1972

Mike Sperandio stopped it from being a homicide

Tisdale was a mean as hell guy

Parchman bound