The post-Covid period has been a time of upheaval for fast-food and fast-casual chains.
Big chains, including Burger King and Popeye's, both owned by Restaurants Brands International (QSR) , saw hundreds of restaurants close. Multiple large franchisees failed, forcing the companies to take over those locations, sell them to other operators or allow them to close.
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Some chains, like Boston Market, closed entirely while Red Lobster, TGI Fridays and a number of other big names saw restaurants close. BurgerFi found a new owner in bankruptcy while also closing numerous locations. Hooters is in talks to restructure in bankruptcy court, Bloomberg has reported.
Covid deserves some of the blame for the problems facing the fast-food, fast-casual, and casual-dining restaurant industries. Many of these restaurants were built to serve office workers as well as everyday diners.
Some of those companies moved to a work-from-home or hybrid model, and many have cut their workforces. That left a number of restaurants in locations that no longer made economic sense.
There are other factors, of course, but people don't travel to go to a Burger King or a Red Lobster. They might grab lunch or dinner there because it's convenient, but when the workforces thinned in many locations, restaurants paid the price.
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Pollo Tropical closing locations
While Pollo Tropical might not be known nationally, it has a large presence in Florida.
"Founded in 1988, Pollo Tropical operates 125 quick-service restaurants throughout Florida and franchises 25 units primarily internationally, with locations in Puerto Rico, Central America, South America and the Bahamas," the chain said in a news release.
The Miami chain uses a Chipotle-style setup to serve fresh-cooked food.
"Pollo Tropical features a menu with distinct offerings and is well-known for its citrus-marinated chicken, mojo roast pork and sides, all served with a focus on delivering freshness and quality at a compelling value," the chain added.
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The company, which was purchased by Authentic Restaurant Brands 16 months ago, has closed three corporate-owned locations. They are the chain's last three restaurants in the Jacksonville area, and the move generally exits the chain from northeast Florida.
"The corporate-owned restaurants at 4863 Gate Parkway at the Markets at Town Center, 730 Skymarks Drive in River City Marketplace, and 10989 San Jose Blvd. in Mandarin had their doors closed, windows covered, and signage removed on Saturday," RetailWire reported.
Pollo Tropical: A routine portfolio evaluation
Pollo Tropical posted signs in the windows of the closed stores.
“We appreciate our loyal guests. It has been a pleasure to serve you over the years,” read the signs, which were printed on Pollo Tropical stationery. "This location is permanently closed. We thank you for your understanding."
A spokesman for the chain told TheStreet: "Through the normal course of business, we continually evaluate our portfolio to ensure our restaurants have the resources to achieve their growth potential. After careful consideration, Pollo Tropical made the decision to close our three Jacksonville restaurants and focus on higher growth markets in Florida."
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The closures leave the chain with most of its locations in southern Florida, with some in the central part of the state. These changes simplify the company's supply chain as its remaining U.S. locations are grouped in a relatively tight area.
Pollo Tropical used to have five locations in Jacksonville.
All its U.S. locations are company-owned, except:
"We own and operate all our restaurants domestically except for certain 'institutional' licensed restaurants (e.g., college campuses, airports, etc.). We do, however, offer franchises outside the United States," the chain says on its FAQ page.
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