U.S.-based family-style Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo has announced the closure of at least 13 of its underperforming locations, citing economic pressures as the reason for this difficult decision.
In a statement provided to Scripps News, the restaurant chain explained that these stores “were unable to recover from the damage caused by the pandemic and other market pressures.”
With around 50 locations across the U.S., Buca di Beppo had a presence primarily along the West Coast, in Texas, Florida, and the Midwest. The restaurant offered both dine-in and take-away options for customers, with online ordering also available.
According to a report by Scripps News Salt Lake City, by Tuesday, the chain’s Salt Lake City and Midvale, Utah locations had already closed down.
Buca di Beppo, which translates to “Joe’s small place” in Italian, first opened its doors in 1993 in the basement of a Minneapolis apartment building.
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The closures come at a time when there have been slight increases in restaurant sales nationwide.
According to a report by the National Restaurant Association, total sales for eating and drinking places in June saw a 0.3% increase from May, marking the third consecutive monthly sales gain.
The association noted that the trendline for sales in the first half of 2024 showed only a modestly positive growth.
