Business

Popeyes franchisee with 136 stores closes 18 more locations

Closures are a result of a franchisee filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, also resulting in many locations finding new ownership. ©Image Credit: Unsplash / Nishat Samadzai

If Popeyes is your fast-food chicken restaurant of choice, it just got a little harder to find a nearby location. A franchisee with a whopping 136 locations is closing 18 locations and finding a buyer for another 92 locations.

Major Florida franchisee is forced to close locations

Sailormen Inc. is a major player in Florida, operating a massive portfolio of 136 locations in Florida and Georgia. The Miami-based franchisee closed dozens of locations earlier in the year and is now closing another 18.

During a bankruptcy auction in June, the franchisee tried to find a bidder for dozens of locations and had no luck.

“Those stores now constitute a burden on the Debtor’s estate, and, as of July 1, 2026, the Debtor will no longer have the authority to use cash collateral to operate those stores,” Sailormen said in a bankruptcy filing.

Sailormen Inc. filed to be allowed to reject those store leases so it could vacate the premises.

An ongoing saga

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and the attempt to find buyers for its Popeyes locations has been an ongoing saga. According to the court documents, Sailormen Inc.'s debt totals almost $130 million.

The franchisee places blame on the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited workforce, and inflation.

Some locations changed hands instead of closing

Even though Sailormen Inc. closed dozens of locations, it did manage to find buyers for 92 of them.

The court filing names locations in Pensacola, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Tallahassee that have changed hands. Locations have been bought by 61 Biscuits LLC, RFI Ventures LLC, and the Popeyes corporate parent.

On the flip side, some of the locations that have already closed were located in Arcadia, two in Jacksonville, Chiefland, Keystone Heights, Tampa, and Fort Pierce, just to name a few.

The fast-food landscape continues to be challenging

It's the same song and dance many fast-food restaurants are going through. Inflation, increased operating costs, limited workforce, and changing customer habits mean you'll have fewer choices when you go out for a bite to eat.

Source: Marketplace

Papa Murphy's closing 50 stores as pizza chains keep shrinking

It's getting harder and harder to find your favorite pizza joint as more stores across the country permanently close. Papa Murphy's has announced that it will close up to 50 underperforming locations. Closures will happen over the next six to nine months It's going

Seagate's 2TB Xbox Drive Drops From $140 to $90

Modern games are getting bigger every year. In fact, GTA VI is rumored to require around 300GB of storage for the initial download alone. At that rate, it won't be long before your Xbox starts asking you to delete games to make room for new ones. Fortunately, you

Delta's new cheaper first class comes with a big catch

If you've always wanted to experience flying first class, Delta's new cheaper rate could make it possible. But not so fast. Before you book your ticket, several perks are being removed that might make or break it for you. A scaled-back premium cabin experience Delta

New York forces Walmart to install silent alarms for workers

Retail workers deal with a lot more than stocking shelves and ringing up groceries these days. How New York is giving retail workers a silent lifeline From shoplifting incidents to aggressive customers, safety has become an issue and New York wants stores to be better prepared. Hence, a new state