Posted on 05/07/2020 10:00:57 PM PDT by fluorescence
Souplantation, the popular buffet-style dining brand founded in San Diego 42 years ago, is closing all of its restaurants permanently, a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic that is likely to be the death knell for all self-serve eateries.
The permanent closing of the 97 restaurants, including 44 in California, was announced Thursday after weeks of efforts to salvage San Diego-based Garden Fresh Restaurants, the parent company of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. The closing will mean lost jobs for 4,400 employees.
“The FDA had previously put out recommendations that included discontinuing self-serve stations, like self-serve beverages in fast food, but they specifically talked about salad bars and buffets,” said John Haywood, chief executive of Garden Fresh. “The regulations are understandable, but unfortunately, it makes it very difficult to reopen. And I’m not sure the health departments are ever going to allow it.
[snip]
“We spent two years researching and trying to improve things and actually got the business turned around,” Allbritton said. “We were growing the number of guests and were in the process of renovating the restaurants with new fixtures, carpeting, signage as late as January. We felt great about it. But I’ve got to tell you, when the virus hit, we went from 100% to 70 to 30 to 10% that fast, before the restaurants closed down and the company ran out of money in one week.”
Allbritton said that he wrote a check five weeks ago for $2.5 million to help cover the final payroll.
“We looked at the [federal] Paycheck Protection Program, but even with that we didn’t see how we could reopen the restaurants. We can’t take that money, it’s just disingenuous.”
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I am not going to say “So it begins.” and I’m writing this post to discourage anyone else from saying that. ;-)
honestly this is overkill.
government should not be able to do this. if its a choice of the restaurant to change that is one thing.
to orweliian dictate it is not acceptable in a free society.
It was “popular”? Who knew?
“No soup for you!”
This has been the goal of the leftist vermin. Destroy the American economy.
“We looked at the [federal] Paycheck Protection Program, but even with that we didn’t see how we could reopen the restaurants. We can’t take that money, it’s just disingenuous.”
Well at least they didn’t try to scam the system. Take some money and run.
Sorry to see so many people lose their jobs.
wasn’t popular with me but stayed busy
Wetbacks?
They better not even think of shutting down Golden Corale. Thems fightin words.
I guess Soupslaves just aren’t what they used to be ...
Pretty remarkable.
I have been to Souplantation a number of times, I think it is okay, I think it is fairly difficult to get $9 of value out of lettuce and carrots and cucumbers, or $12 of value out of lettuce and cucumbers and a bowl of soup. But I thought their food was clean and fresh.
What’s remarkable to me is that a whole chain of restaurants can be out of business in 30 or 45 days. I know a little, not a lot about restaurants. I have no idea how restaurants are going to work if they can only work at 40 to 50% of capacity.
leftist vermin want to pick and choose the winners.......
Golden Corral’s new name: “Golden Coronavirus Buffet and Carry-You Out Grill”.
“You want fries with them bats?”
Careful, DrewMum is a lifetime NRA member and is well armed and trained. ;-)
Oops, post 16 was meant to be directed to CtBigPat and DrewsMum in regard to post 13.
.... Wonder how the virus outbreak will affect the Buffets in Vegas????
Laughed so hard I woke the dog.
I have been to Souplantation a number of times, I think it is okay, I think it is fairly difficult to get $9 of value out of lettuce and carrots and cucumbers, or $12 of value out of lettuce and cucumbers and a bowl of soup. But I thought their food was clean and fresh.
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Like you, I visited Souplantation several times...Most of the time, I used the discount coupons. I did not want to go to Souplantation and pay the full price...
I went to Hometown Buffet and Golden Corral more frequently...
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