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A POPULAR national barbecue joint with nearly 200 restaurants abruptly shuttered two locations.
Famous Dave’s closed both restaurants last week despite one having just been remodeled in early 2024.
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Famous Dave’s, a popular barbecue chain that celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, has 180 restaurants scattered across over 30 states.
Two of the chain’s Washington locations were closed for good on December 4 – Tacoma and Tukwila, per a local outlet.
They were the last two remaining Famous Dave’s locations in Western Washington.
Fans were alerted of the closures on social media by Ascend Hospitality Group, the franchise owner.
“For many years, we’ve had the honor of serving this community, sharing countless memories over plates of classic ‘que and good company and, for that, we are grateful,” said the post.
Famous Dave’s History
Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que was founded in 1994 by Dave Anderson, a Native American entrepreneur from the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in Wisconsin.
His passion for barbecue began as a child and he spent years perfecting his craft, drawing inspiration from Southern cooking traditions.
The first Famous Dave’s restaurant opened in Hayward, Wisconsin, and quickly gained popularity for its authentic barbecue recipes inspired by regional styles across the US.
The brand has since grown into a chain with locations in over 30 states, beloved for its smoked meats and signature sauces.
“To you, our loyal guests, thank you for allowing us to be part of your celebrations, your family dinners, and your everyday moments. It has been our greatest privilege to serve you.”
“As we step into this holiday season, we carry with us the cherished memories and connections that made Famous Dave’s BBQ a special place for so many. Thank you for everything!”
Although the number of employees impacted is unknown, they were provided with compensation and job-seeking support, according to the post.
The reasoning behind the closures is also unclear but certainly abrupt considering that the Tacoma location had been remodeled just months before.
An anchor tenant of the Tacoma Place plaza alongside WinCo Foods, the restaurant was lightly remodeled with new flooring and varied repairs earlier this year.
The restaurant was temporarily closed between late January and mid-April, reopened with a party in the parking lot featuring country music.
Both the Tacoma and Tukwila restaurants are listed as “permanently closed” on the Famous Dave’s website, with a Yakima location marked as the last one in Washington state.
FOOD FIASCO
Many fast food chains and restaurants have shut down throughout 2024 as inflation remains high and consumers pull back on discretionary spending.
The cost of eating out last month was 0.3% higher than it was in October, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics report from Wednesday morning.
From November 2024 to the same time last year, the price of dining out rose by 3.6%.
Restaurant closures in 2024
BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain’s affected.
- Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
- Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
- Frisch’s Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
- Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 ‘underperforming’ locations this year.
- Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
- Chili’s: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
- Friendly’s: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
- Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
- Carl’s Jr.: The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
- In-N-Out: An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
- Cheesecake Factory: The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
- Applebee’s: Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
- Red Lobster: The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
- Taco John’s: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
- Frisco’s Chicken: The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer
- Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
- Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
- Foster’s Freeze: Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles.
- Chicken Salad Chick: After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given.
- México Lindo: The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
- American Dream Pizza: Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July.
- Tender Greens: The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy.
- Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill: Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
- Firehouse Subs: Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing “unforeseen circumstances”
- Taco Time: The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner’s family.
- Burgerim: Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020.
- Denny’s: The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
- Starbucks: The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle.
- Subway: In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
- IHOP: A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state.
- Switchback Coffee Roasters: The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business.
- Jimmy John’s: The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
- KFC: Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois.
- Rusty Bucket: The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
- Buca di Beppo: The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy.
- Red Robin: Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business.
- Noodles & Company: Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
- Shoney’s: The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint.
- Homegrown: The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch.
- World of Beer: Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
- Arby’s: The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio,
- Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August.
- Hart House: Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, and Subway are just a handful of chains impacted by these financial trends, shutting down multiple locations across the country.
Increased costs have impacted fast-casual restaurants, with inflationary pressure driving closures in two ways, from “both sides of the menu,” retail expert Mitchell Olsen previously told The U.S. Sun.
“On one hand, it’s more expensive to operate restaurants due to higher wages and food costs. On the other hand, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to pass those higher operating expenses on to diners with ever-increasing menu prices,” he said.
“Consumers are starting to push back against the high cost of dining out by thinking twice about that appetizer or going to a restaurant in the first place.”
A legendary restaurant and Olive Garden rival has fallen victim to the trend of closures, abruptly shutting a location after diners spotted signs being removed.
Plus, a Denny’s rival risks losing an 85-year-old restaurant that’s a “cultural touchstone.”
