Dispelling A Tasty Rumor
Employees of Bennigan’s Restaurants around the country showed up to work only to find “closed” signs and locked doors. Bennigan’s filed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy today, ungraciously shuttering all of their locations without notice.
Except Peoria’s.
A phone call confirms that we are among a small number of independently owned franchises that will remain open. Thankfully. Of all the Chili’s/Cheddars/TGI Friday type chain restaurants, Bennigans has always been my perennial favorite. Infact, this news makes me want to go down there for lunch this weekend. I might just have to do that.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
To be honest with you, I don’t know why it didn’t happen sooner. Not necessarily Bennigans in particular, but that whole casual restaurant market is so oversaturated it’s amazing so many chains have managed to compete for so long. Applebees, Bennigans, Chilis, TGI Fridays, Cheddars, Ruby Tuesdays, Hooters, Damons… There are probably more.
Ok, I’m sorry, I have to break my own rule and mention the price of gas… You have my apologies… With the price of gas being so high, I don’t think we need 100 different takes on a 1/3 lb burger and jalapeno poppers.
They all make the EXACT SAME CRAP too. Overpriced burgers, slightly above average steaks, baby back ribs, fajitas, lots of cute little appetizers, their kitchy take on a popular mixed drink (or in the case of Applebees, a huge Phil Luciano sized draft beer called Brewtus that is special because it is… 12 oz more than a regular draft beer. Ass.)
And on top of that, they all look exactly the same, with sports/hollywood/americana memoribilia plastered all over their walls. Nothing like eating dinner with Elvis eyeballing your Tex Mex Steak Salad with Guacamole, Sour Cream, Beef, cheese, extra beef, sour cream and those God awful tortilla toothpicks.
As long as Chili’s stays open, the rest of em can bite the dust as far as I’m concerned. Or better yet, Chilis could buy them all out and they can all be converted into Chilis! Then I would have a Chilis right by my house! That would be AWEsome.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Makes me hungry…for the Burger Barge.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Well you have confirmed what I thought, you are a little wacky. Bennigans hasn’t passed a Health Inspection since it has been here. It is a $hitbox and I wouldn’t eat potato chips there unless the bag was sealed.
July 30th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Emtronics, have you met a blogger yet that wasn’t a little wacky?
August 4th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
The two times I ate at Bennigans.The meals I consumed weren’t all that great tasting.I would have to say that is probably the reason I got serverely sick.In addition,I am not sorry to see it go bankcrupt.The other reason could be,” Thanks to the leader of our country.”This is just another bussinesses closing their doors forever.