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’m done with all restaurants until they change the mask and glove routine....”
With the keto diet and the coronavirus shutdown...I’ve become a pretty good cook. Quick, simple, usually pretty good meals. The Weber grill is taking a beating (hardly used previously). The wife appreciates my efforts...and does the cleanup. The dogs love the leftovers. Plus, we’re saving money like crazy.
Win-win-win.
ping
I don’t care to cook as a single man but, damned if I’ll have my food handled in a petri dish so, back to eating like I did in my 20’s.
Already lost 4#
keto.....just don’t think I can go that far.....
luckily no one is forcing you eat at a buffet....but that is OUR choice...and I like buffets....of course one is careful....
General Tso Tsung-t’ang (1812-1885) was a distinguished soldier & provincial ruler, but the dish named in his honor is a recent creation, as you point out.
Said to have been invented by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s personal chef after he came to these shores. Unknown in Gen. Tso’s Hunan province home to this day.
It’s next on my list of “hey, I can do this at home” Chinese dishes.
We’d been there a few times, but not since going low carb. I remember their muffins were good.
My issue with the places that you mentioned, and likewise, Boston Market is that they are carbs carbs carbs. Huge starch joints.
Why bother with restaurants if we’re going to be treated like Lepers? I mean, if it is that ‘dangerous’ then why go? The useless contaminated mask routines, the 10 patrons per restaurant, the standing 6 magical feet away and handing you your credit card slip using an extended grab tool, all that, is just simply stupid and not the experience I want to pay for.
I lived in San Diego in the mid-late `80s. LOVED Souplantation. Ate there frequently!
After that anything the Babylon Bee publishes today will be a distant second.
With plantation in their name it’s surprising they haven’t already been social justiced into closing.
Too bad. The “Sweet Tomatoes” near us was a cheaper and faster alternative for our before movie dinner on Fridays. I’ll miss the chicken noodle soup, just for the memory of watching my parents’ friend load up his soup bowl with chicken, noodles, and maybe a tablespoon or so of the actual soup!
Well, it will probably be another 6-12 months before movie theaters open under Emperor Gruesome’s mandates, so no big loss.
The end of the salad bar?
Sweet Tomatoes is an average restaurant. Had good meals there, but nothing outstanding.
How is the restaurant’s name not considered racist?
Over-regulating something out of business isnt the same as letting the customers decide which types of restaurants succeed or not succeed.
Customers ought to decide, not government.
There are a few Sweet Tomatoes in the Tampa area... Hope someone buys the naming rights...
Funny... That’s our usual place for enjoyment. Again average food, but nothing bad about it.
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