This Popular BBQ Restaurant Chain Suddenly Closed All Its Locations — Here's Why

Restaurant chains are still struggling to stay afloat in today's economy, because yet another one closed all its doors, this time in the barbecue segment. Smokey Bones restaurants quietly ceased operations across the country; various news outlets reported that the closures have hit Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, with employees reportedly learning of it on the day of.

These shutterings came without notice on April 28, not long after Twin Hospitality Group Inc., operator of breastaurant chain Twin Peaks and Smokey Bones, filed for bankruptcy in January of this year. The Chapter 11 filing probably wasn't a shock to many; Smokey Bones went through a rough patch last year as well, closing multiple underperforming locations, while announcing a new president to navigate the chain through its struggles. We previously found that the overall sentiment to Smokey Bones' food wasn't all that great (customers seemed lukewarm about the chain's ribs), so that's never an encouraging sign either. It looks like those problems dug all the way down into the balance sheet.

There's a possibility that some of these Smokey Bones locations will eventually be converted into Twin Peaks, since Twin Hospitality Group owns both brands. The company has been more focused on Twin Peaks' growth and previously spoke of turning some Smokey Bones locations into Twin Peaks. If Smokey Bones were simply that much of a financial liability, this would probably make sense, since the physical infrastructure's already there. (Twin Peaks serves decidedly more sports bar-like food, however.)

It is too soon to speculate, however, considering the systemwide closure just happened a day ago. What we do know is that the warning signs have been flashing for a while already. The chain restaurant shuffle continues, as other name brands like Applebee's, Pizza Hut, and Wendy's shrink in size too. So far, no announcements have been made as to the future of Smokey Bones, but it's probably safe to say we won't be seeing it pop up again, at least in the near future.