The abrupt closure of a popular Denny’s store in Ohio has raised fears that more branches could soon open.
The Ashland branch, located on Route 250, is about 60 miles southwest of Cleveland and was permanently closed last week.
The closure appears to be part of broader plans, as the breakfast chain has closed several locations over the past year.
It also appears that a sister Denny’s location in the neighboring cities of Akron, Ontario, and Mansfield is also on the verge of closing.
Pictured here, a location of the beloved breakfast chain Denny’s has closed in Ashland, Ohio, surprising even local residents.
Denny’s operates about 1,600 locations nationwide, but at least 120 have closed in the past two years.
Denny’s operates about 1,600 locations nationwide, according to its website.
Locals shared their disappointment online, with one waiter saying they were mourning the closure.
“This is the end of 13 years at Denny’s, with so many wonderful people along the way. I’m so sad!” wrote waitress Ashley Gregory.
“I can’t believe this is actually real, but I can’t express how grateful I am to have had a job for so long, fitting in with my schedule.”
“As a waiter, as well as a manager and a cook, it’s a very sad time. This was not only my second home, but also my family. I’m mourning as if I had lost someone!” Gregory shared.
“It’s a sad day in Ashland. The Denny’s is closed. Permanently,” wrote Don Bigelow.
In 2022, 60 Denny’s locations closed, and another 60 closed in 2023. The trend has continued in 2024.
Many locals love their local Denny’s so much that some posted on Facebook that they were “mourning” after another closure.
“I found out yesterday that the Ashland Denny’s has closed permanently. What fun stories there would be to tell going there after the bars closed for the night! I just hope a Waffle House takes its place,” Bob Egyedi added.
Ashland appears to be part of a larger trend affecting Denny’s locations in Ohio and Michigan.
Denn-Ohio, a franchisee in the region, filed for bankruptcy last fall and subsequently closed ten stores, including several in Ohio.
Separately, a Denny’s in Pennsylvania recently closed, as did one of two branches in Lubbock, Texas.
The Denny’s closing was announced with a sign on the front door.
Last month, the last remaining Denny’s in Bucks County, Pennsylvania officially closed its doors.
The June 19 closure was quietly announced with a sign posted on the restaurant’s front door on East Lincoln Highway in Langhorne.
Fans of the Moons Over My Hammy breakfast sandwich chain will now need to travel to the Lehigh Valley, Delaware County or New Jersey to satisfy their cravings.
The Langhorne location is among 25 Denny’s that have closed this year alone.
This is in addition to 60 closures in 2023 and another 60 in 2022, according to the company’s 2023 annual report.
Robert Verostek, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Denny’s, blamed inflation as a major factor leading to the closures when he spoke to investors in February.
The recently closed Denny’s, the last in Bucks County, photographed on July 8, 2024. It closed on June 19.
He noted that the break-even point for a restaurant to remain open had risen from $1 million to $1.2 million due to rising food costs and wages.
“We continue to work to address some additional closures as a result of those inflationary pressures,” Verostek said.
Denny’s is undergoing several changes in an attempt to refresh its brand, including the launch of a new menu, an updated loyalty program with monthly challenges and even virtual branding.
In February, a 54-year-old Denny’s branch in Oakland closed due to rising crime in the Bay Area.
Restaurants have been struggling more and more this year.
Inflation is partly to blame, as prices have risen steadily over the past two years and higher costs are passed on to customers.
Perhaps inevitably, these price increases have led to a drop in visitor numbers.
Larger chains like Applebee’s, TGI Fridays and Boston Market have recently closed restaurants, as have smaller chains like BurgerFi.
Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May and also closed nearly 100 restaurants. It is considering closing as many as 135 more.
Chains have been hardest hit in California, where the minimum wage for fast-food restaurants rose to $20 an hour starting April 1.
In early June, Mexican chain Rubio’s closed 48 branches in the state and also filed for bankruptcy.
Also in June, BurgerFi, which markets itself as an upmarket McDonald’s, sparked concerns of mass closures after revealing it is considering bankruptcy.
The owners are considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which would allow them to exit leases on their worst-performing restaurants and sell off their contents, as Red Lobster did last month.
National upmarket supermarket and coffee chain Foxtrot said in early April it would close all its stores with immediate effect, leaving staff and customers stunned.
Meanwhile, mall staple Express filed for bankruptcy in April and said it would close 95 outlets.
The closures are part of a broader slump in U.S. retail, with nearly 2,600 stores shuttered so far this year.
The store, which was first established in 1976, will close its branches at the end of this month.
99 Cents Only Store to close all 371 of its stores nationwide this year
Big names like Macy’s, Walmart, Walgreens, Foot Locker and 7-Eleven have announced they will close stores.
Discount stores like Family Dollar and bankrupt 99 Cents Only have been hit hardest, as have drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid.
If closures continue at the same rate for the rest of the year, they would rise to 7,800 in 2024, almost 40 percent more than the 2023 total.
Physical stores are struggling to cope with online competition.
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