'Bankrupt - Sbarro' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Today's brief evergreen educational entry features the latest episode in Bright Sun Films series Bankrupt - Sbarro.

Since it started in New York in the 1950's, the Sbarro fast food chain had grown to well over 1,000 locations, many of which inside of shopping malls. The chain became a staple in casual, Italian food and was one of the most recognizable shopping mall institutions in America. However, by the 2010's, the brand would ultimately declare bankruptcy... twice. Join me to find out why.

I last examined Sbarro in 2020's Company Man examines the rise and decline of Sbarro, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, the next to last Retail Apocalypse post before COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic. I hadn't gotten into the habit of taking screen captures of Company Man Mike's reasons for the company declining then, so I'm making up for it by sharing his list from six years ago.


Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films concentrated on the 2007 sale of the company to a private equity firm, followed by the Great Recession and the general decline of malls. As I wrote six years ago, "Sbarro's dependence on malls was helpful until the Great Recession but is hurting the chain now, as more than half of their stores have closed since the company's peak." Private equity taking over the company the first time couldn't have come under worse circumstances. On the other hand, the current private equity ownership has been good for the company so far, expanding it out of American malls to other countries and into other locations. Good news.

On the other hand, Jake had very little to say about the rest of Company Man Mike's list, mentioning ingredient costs first and briefly. He had very little bad to say about the food itself, confining his stale remark to the brand, and only briefly citing consumer comments about the product. For critiques of the food, I plan on turning to Weird History Food, which I featured in The rise and fall of Boston Market, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Flashback Friday, but not today. I'm running late because of the field trip I ran, so I'm going to be a good environmentalist by conserving that resource to use later.

Speaking of conserving resources, I missed two Facebook shares about the Retail Apocalypse in Bloomberg Television explains 'How Gen Z Is Bringing Back The Mall,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, so follow over the jump for them.

The rise and fall of Boston Market, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday! Today's retrospective covers the most read entries about the Retail Apocalypse during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News. Before I recap those, I'm sharing two videos about a restaurant chain I should have covered five or six years ago, Boston Market. I begin with the more recent, The Disastrous Downfall Of Boston Market, which Weird History Food uploaded last month.

Before meal kits, DoorDash, and cheap grocery store rotisserie chickens, Boston Market was a real presence. It promised comfort food classics, like Thanksgiving dinner any day of the week, without the cooking, cleanup, or family drama! At its peak, this fast-casual chain was booming, redefining how Americans ate homestyle meals on the go. But almost as quickly as it rose, Boston Market began to collapse.

So what went wrong? On this episode of Weird History Food, we're taking a look at the strange rise and fall of one of America’s most iconic comfort food chains.

Did you ever eat there? What was your favorite dish? Let Us Know in the comments!

Of course private equity played an important role in this story, especially at the end, but it wasn't what started the chain's decline nearly 30 years ago. Too rapid expansion when the company was publicly traded did. Company Man detailed that when he asked The Decline of Boston Market...What Happened?

In 1997, Boston Market was among the fastest growing fast food chains in the country. By 1998 they filed for bankruptcy and have yet to make much of a comeback from it. This video attempts to find reasons behind what happened.

When my wife and I moved to Royal Oak, there was a recently closed Boston Market within walking distance. We would have brought home meals from there if it had been open. Instead, the nearby pizza place and Coney island got our business. Like Company Man Mike, who missed their cinnamon apples, I missed their food and wondered what had happened to the chain. Now that I've watched both Weird History Food's and Company Man's videos, I know.

Follow over the jump for the most read entries about the Retail Apocalypse last year.

'The Fall of Bahama Breeze,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Today's "brief educational entry...I can share next month" is another tale of the Retail Apocalypse, The Fall of Bahama Breeze Poseidon Entertainment.

Wait, really? A video on Bahama Breeze? While it might be forgotten among other chain restaurants, I think that this is still a loss for themed entertainment and I discovered a level of depth here that I didn't anticipate. As weird as it sounds, I'm somewhat sad about the closing of this chain, so join me today as we discuss the fall of Bahama Breeze.

Like Poseidon Entertainment, I will miss Bahama Breeze. My wife and I have dined at both of the nearby locations in Troy, which closed last year, and Livonia, which will close next month. Both were fun places with good food. In fact, I had the conch fritters and mahi-mahi at the Troy location when my wife and I dined there more than a decade ago. I'm sorry we won't be able to repeat that experience.

For a broader perspective, I turn to Cory At Random, who uploaded Bahama Breeze Is Shutting Down — Why the Caribbean Chain Couldn’t Survive last month.

After nearly thirty years in business, Bahama Breeze is closing its doors.

Parent company Darden Restaurants announced it will shut down the remaining twenty-eight locations, with half closing permanently and the other half being converted into different Darden-owned brands over the next twelve to eighteen months. The final day of operations for Bahama Breeze will be April fifth.

This video breaks down why Bahama Breeze is disappearing while other Darden brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse continue to grow. We look at how inflation, shrinking disposable income, and changing dining habits reshaped the casual dining landscape, and why experience-driven chains have struggled to compete in a value-focused market.

Bahama Breeze wasn’t a sudden failure. It was a brand built for a different era of dining, one that thrived on atmosphere and escape. This is the full context behind why it’s ending, and what its closure says about the future of casual dining in America.

It's not just Bahama Breeze. Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Hooters have all suffered from the changing economic environment and consumer tastes. At least Bahama Breeze's parent company, Darden Restaurants, is doing well, especially with Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Since both Poseidon Entertainment and I mentioned conch fritters, I'm closing with Bahama Breeze: Conch Fritters from the chain's YouTube channel.

Bahama Breeze demonstrates how to make delicious conch fritters using the unique conch meat.

At least I know where to find the recipe should I ever want to eat conch fritters again.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned to see if I post the first retrospective of the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News tomorrow for Wayback Wednesday.

'Bankrupt - Hooters' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Last year, I wrote, "No bankrupt company's story seems to be complete without videos from both Company Man and Bright Sun Films." Company Man already asked "The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?" The other shoe has now dropped as Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films uploaded Bankrupt - Hooters on Boxing Day, when I last posted about the Retail Apocalypse.

Since its 1983 debut in Florida as a casual sports bar, Hooters grew exponentially through the 1980's and 90's, growing to become a massive brand across the world with hundreds of restaurants, tens of thousands of employees and a very controversial brand name which created a whole new segment in the industry. However despite all of this success and notoriety, the chain has struggled recently, ultimately filing for bankruptcy in 2025. Join me today as we find out what happened.

Jake Williams added to the story Company Man Mike told with Hooters Air and Hooters Casino, both of which failed because of issues with the brand, which didn't appeal to women, families, and upscale travelers. In addition, Millennials grew up with a poor perception of the brand. Also, Jake made a bigger deal of private equity's role in the story, noting that the same private equity firm owned both Hooters and TGI Fridays. As Jake joked, that ended well — not.

Speaking of endings, I closed my reaction to Company Man Mike's video by writing, "As for Hooters' identity crisis, I wish the chain good luck; they'll need it." That seems to be Jake's take, too.

Company Man asks 'The Decline of Chi-Chi's...What Happened?'

Today's evergreen educational post is Company Man asking The Decline of Chi-Chi's...What Happened?

In 2004, the chain of Mexican restaurants closed all of its locations. This video explores the history of the brand while identifying some of the main reasons behind its decline.

Here's Company Man Mike's list.


I begin with competition. When my ex-wife, son, and I moved to Ann Arbor in 1989, Chi-Chi's was the only chain Mexican restaurant in town.*  I found it adequate, but not excellent. I had higher standards having grown up in Los Angeles. Other Californians I encountered who moved to Michigan were also disappointed by the lack of the ethnic cuisines they left behind, a story I recounted in Impaling Vlad, or With friends like this, Kunstler hardly needs enemies.

For years, when I ran into another person who had moved to Michigan, I asked them, "So, do you miss Mexican food?" and they invariably answered, "Yes! Do you know where any is around here?" They also missed cheap Cantonese food, too. I was always happy to steer them to the nearest good examples of both.

Within the past decade, Chinese takeout places run by immigrants from the mainland have sprung up all over southeast Michigan, to the point where two of the three small towns on the outskirts of Irish Hills each have one and the next small town I moved to had one as well. Also, Mexican food has become common enough and people have developed enough of a taste for it that the local blues joint that served ribs has become a Mexican restaurant. I no longer run into Californians who can't find the food of home; it's now all around them. I personally consider this to be an improvement.

I still do, but it probably helped doom Chi-Chi's, which I mourned briefly when it closed down, but didn't really miss. There are much better options for Mexican food in Michigan today.

I didn't know the rest of Chi-Chi's story except for the addition of El Torito to the company. That was my favorite chain of Mexican restaurants in southern California, and I was hoping Chi-Chi's would incorporate some of what I liked about them. It didn't happen. That was disappointing, but at least El Torito still exists.

By the way, Company Man Mike mentioned that both Chi-Chi's and El Torito were owned by Foodmaker, which owned Jack-In-The-Box, a story I recounted in Business Insider examines the rise, fall, and return of Twinkies.

Business Insider's video also lists Purina as a former owner of Hostess's parent company from 1984 to 1995. That means I have a distant connection to Hostess, as my first job for a large employer was as cook and cashier for Jack In The Box from 1977 to 1979, which Purina owned from 1968 to 1985. My fellow employees and I joked that we worked for Purina People Chow. Our manager told us to never say that in front of the customers. We didn't.

At least Purina no longer owned Foodmaker by the time it acquired Chi-Chi's, so Chi-Chi's never did serve "Purina people chow."

That's a wrap for today's Retail-Apocalypse-adjacent story. Stay tuned for World Television Day. I have a Storied video to share.

*ETA: There was and still is a locally owned Mexican restaurant in town, Tios, but I never went there.

Think about the fast food workers on National Fast Food Day

I twice promised times that I would examine the visual media GRAMMY nominees for today's Sunday entertainment feature, but it's taking too long. I'll finish and post it tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm sharing National Day Calendar's National Fast-Food Day | November 16.

While fast food began as sandwiches and sides, the menus expanded over time. Today fast food includes fish, a variety of fried chicken, tacos, pizza, and a wide selection of sides.

Sodas quench the thirst and desserts sweeten the menu. From ice cream and shakes to pies and cakes, fast food delivers.

Happy National Fast Food Day, but remember the relevant questions I asked in 'Food, Inc. 2' worksheet for National Food Day.

20. How long has the federal minimum wage been at $7.25 per hour?

Since 2009.

21. How much does the CEO of Yum Brands earn in an hour? How much does the average Taco Bell worker make in a year? Answer both questions.

I forget the exact amount, but the CEO of Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut, makes slightly more in one hour than the average Taco Bell worker makes in a year, about $12,000.

22. Which two companies’ workers are the biggest users of food stamps and Medicaid?

One of them is McDonalds. The other is Walmart.

That's a wrap for today's food holiday, making four in a row. Stay tuned for Grammy nominees tomorrow.

Company Man wonders 'Cracker Barrel - The Rise and Fall?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse and consumer pressure

I promised another tale of the Retail Apocalypse, so watch as Company Man wonders Cracker Barrel - The Rise and Fall?

The national chain of restaurants has been having trouble over the past few years. This video explores what has been happening with Cracker Barrel.

Company Man Mike held off on compiling one of his trademark lists until the end. Here it is.


 Looks like things were going great for Cracker Barrel until the pandemic, which exposed the weaknesses in its business model, reliance on older customers. That doomed Stein Mart, whose customers "weren't going out or working because they are the ones most vulnerable to the pandemic." The same turned out to be true for Cracker Barrel. Trying to attract younger patrons didn't work well, either. They liked the nostalgia factor as well.

This is the most political I've seen Company Man get in his videos, but I don't think he went far enough. Watch CNN report Cracker Barrel quietly removes DEI, Pride pages from its website after logo upheaval.

After backing away from a controversial logo rebrand loudly opposed by many right-wing influencers, Cracker Barrel also quietly made changes to its website this week. The Tennessee-based roadside restaurant chain deleted a dedicated “Pride page” and scrubbed references to employee resource groups, including its LGBTQ+ and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging groups, from another part of its website.

“On behalf of Cracker Barrel’s LGBTQ+ Alliance & DEIB Team, we want to celebrate YOU for being YOU. It is our greatest Mission to ensure that Pleasing People means ‘all people,’” Cracker Barrel’s now-deleted Pride page read, according to a CNN review of the Wayback Machine.

CNN business and tech writer Claire Duffy reports.

That's depressing. As I wrote in 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' and 'Dune: Part Two' win Hugo Awards, "The Hugo Awards successfully fought off the Rabid Puppies, but they have infected the rest of society. File that under winning the battle, but (so far) losing the war. Sigh." Cracker Barrel knuckling under to their pressure shows how far that infection has gone.

Time for some comic relief from Jimmy Kimmel, who returned from vacation this week. He mentioned the controversy in last night's monologue, Trump Stops ALL the Wars, MAGA Mouth-Breathers Mad About Cracker Barrel & Ted Cruz Shows Off Accent.

The NFL season kicked off tonight between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, Donald Trump went after Rosie O’Donnell and threatened to take away her American citizenship, the MAGA mouth-breathers were all up in arms about Cracker Barrel changing their logo, Kim Jong Un reportedly brought his own personal toilet with him on his trip to Beijing, Trump is constantly blabbing about all of the wars he stopped, Ted Cruz popped on Newsmax yesterday to show off his authentic and not-at-all unconvincing accent, the surgeon general of Florida announced that they are doing away with vaccine mandates, and even though Robert F Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Oz claim to be against big pharma, they never miss an opportunity to cash in.

Welcome back, Jimmy, your fans, including me, missed you.

That's a wrap. Stay tuned to see if I write this year's version of Star Trek vs. Star Wars at the 2024 Emmy Awards for Star Trek Day so I can cover Andor's Creative Arts Emmy nominations or post the video from Weathered on PBS Terra that I was originally planning on posting today.

'Bankrupt - TGI Fridays' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

I made a promise in the conclusion to Company Man asks 'The Decline of TGI Fridays...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse: "I stand by my opinion that 'I feel like no bankrupt company's story is fully told until both Company Man Mike and Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films have weighed in.' Should Jake follow through with a video of his own, I'll post it here." Jake did. Watch Bankrupt - TGI Fridays.

From its inception as a bar in New York, TGI Fridays great to become a massive restaurant brand across America and even the world. With well over 600 locations domestically and 70,000 employees company wide, it was truly an enormous chain. However despite it's meteoric growth, it would all come crashing down in just a few short years. Join me as I find out what happened to this iconic chain restaurant and how it ultimately declared bankruptcy.

Jake's take on why TGI Fridays ended up declaring bankruptcy was different from Company Man Mike's. Jake paid much less attention to competitors except at the end and much more on external factors, like the Great Recession, which initiated TGI Fridays' decline, and pandemic, which finally did the chain in. Company Man Mike also ignored private equity, which CNBC thought was behind TGI Fridays' and Red Lobster's bankruptcies. Jake made that a central part of the second half of the story, although he generally seemed to think that the private equity firms were at least trying.

That written, I think it's time to repeat my standard rant about private equity."I listed a who's who of retail chains gutted by private equity in CNN Business explains retail bankruptcies and how private equity is gutting retail, tales of the Retail Apocalypse and again in Business Insider and CNBC explain the rise and fall of Chuck E. Cheese, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic." Add Party City, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, Joann, Weight Watchers, and At Home to that list.

I missed Why So Many TGI Friday Restaurants Are Closing | WSJ What Went Wrong last November, which told a similar and more compressed version of the chain's story.

TGI Fridays, widely considered the first singles bar in the U.S., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, citing a problematic capital structure and fallout from the pandemic. The fast-casual restaurant chain has closed over 200 locations across the U.S. since 2019 and have even been kicked out of its headquarters in Dallas.

WSJ breaks down how the once happy hour hot spot lost its flair.

The Wall Street Journal added two factors that both Company Man Mike and Jake missed, whole business securitization and frequent leadership changes. The first is the kind of arcane financial arrangement that I'm not surprised WSJ caught but Mike and Jake ignored or glossed over, while the second is exactly the kind of thing Mike would normally catch. Now I'm wondering if Mike did his best work last November.

That's a wrap for today's installment of the slow-motion disaster that is the Retail Apocalypse. Stay tuned as I resume my coverage of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Brits try Detroit Pizza for Detroit-style Pizza Day

Happy National Detroit-Style Pizza Day! I'm looking at the holiday from across the pond with British trying Detroit-style pizza for the first time. JOLLY did it thrice, beginning with Two Brits try Detroit Pizza for the first time!

In today's video we discovered yet another style of Pizza that we hadn't really even heard of before - Detroit Pizza! Apparently tipped as the best pizza in the world by some, we couldn't wait to give it a taste.

Thanks to Detroit Pizza London for taking such good care of us!

I don't think they got all the history correct, but their enthusiasm is sincere.

They came back for a sequel in British College Students try Detroit Pizza!

In today's video, we were joined by Armand & Max on a break from their studies and we took them to try Detroit Pizza for the first time!

Their friends certainly enjoyed Detroit-style pizza. They also enjoyed the deep-fried lasagna, to which my reaction is "don't give Americans any ideas."

JOLLY did what they promised in the first video in the final video of the series I'm featuring today in Two Brits try REAL Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit!

We're starting off our Detroit series with an obvious first episode, Detroit Style Pizza! In this episode we headed over to the much recommended Loui's Detroit Style Pizza to see what the hype was all about.

I'm glad they enjoyed real Detroit-style pizza. Welcome to Detroit!

'SNL' mocks Trump's executive orders during his second first 100 days

As I telegraphed twice, I'm sharing highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live. I begin, like the show itself, with Trump Executive Orders Cold Open.

President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) shares his accomplishments for his first 100 days in office and signs new executive orders.

SNL managed the difficult task of making satire more ridiculous than realty, but watching this skit reminded me that a lot of Trump's executive orders have implemented Project 2025. Also, "bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes" may seem silly — Columbus Day never ceased being a federal holiday — but I'm sure Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump is serious about reversing the trend to celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. I'm sure he disliked it when Christopher Columbus was one of the targets in 2020, when I observed I haven't seen this many statues fall since the end of the Cold War.

James Austin Johnson's "Trump" told a Conclave joke. Johnson just threw away the line, but Weekend Update: Trump Shares AI Generated Image of Himself as Pope turned it into a top story.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Elon Musk stepping away from D.O.G.E.

I second what Colin Jost said, from the AI image of Hoover Cleveland as the Pope being disrepectful to staying away from JD Vance, who still isn't as creepy as Stephen Miller.* The rest of the segment replayed the week's greatest hits with the exception of Mike Waltz being fired. As I observed in 'SNL' mocks the Signal group chat in its cold open and Weekend Update, "Where's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz? Didn't he start the group chat? I guess he's not known, disliked, or funny enough to be parodied in the skit." I guess we'll have to wait until Pete Hegseth loses his job.

Kanye West complaining about his dentist qualifies today's entry as the Sunday entertainment feature, but the lead story in Diddy’s Trial Kicks Off, US Navy Loses Fighter Jet cements it.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Uber offering free rides for teens to prom.

So does the minting of Superman coins and medals, which has been in the works since last year. Hoover Cleveland deserves neither credit nor blame. That goes to Joe Biden.

The first interview returned to serious topics with Michael Longfellow on Real ID.

Michael Longfellow stops by Weekend Update to explain why he refuses to get a Real ID.

"What is wrong with you?" "How much time do you have?" "No more." Darn.

Weekend Update ended with Two Applebee's Barflies Darlene and Duke.

Two Applebee's Barflies, Darlene and Duke (Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman), stop by Weekend Update to discuss the recent string of casual dining restaurants declaring bankruptcies.

No, Applebee's itself isn't joining Hooters, Red Lobster, and TGI Fridays in bankruptcy, but at least two of its franchisees have and closed locations. The Retail Apocalypse, restaurant division, strikes again!

Follow over the jump for more highlights.

Company Man asks 'The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse

I made an observation and asked a question in the middle of Hooters files for bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse.

Company Man Mike was right; Hooters has a controversial history! Now I'm wondering when he'll come out with "The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?"

I took less than three weeks from when I wrote that for Company Man to produce and upload The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?

The controversial restaurant has recently filed for bankruptcy. This video explores the brand's history while highlighting some of the biggest reasons behind its decline.

Here's Company Man Mike's list.


Red Lobster's and TGI Fridays' bankruptcies were and still are such big deals that they made a joint cameo under "External Factors." Company Man Mike also featured his videos about them in the outro. The pandemic also made an appearance. Check out 2020 in this chart.


That's quite the drop! In retrospect, Hooters did well lasting five years; Chuck E. Cheese, Ruby Tuesday, and Sizzler filed for bankruptcy in the middle of 2020.

Company Man Mike added the "Free Toyota/Free Toy Yoda" lawsuit, which was a bad joke, to controversies, so I'm mentioning the one time I patronized a Hooters. It was in Orlando in 2003. I went with a late friend of mine, who suggested the place. I had a good time, but never went back. I just didn't want to be associated with the brand.

Moving on to competition, Company Man Mike posted this chart.


Even at its 2008 height, Hooters with ~400 locations would have been less than a third of Buffalo Wild Wings and less than a fifth of Wingstop. Now I feel like seeing where the nearest Wingstop is to me.

Why am I not surprised that private equity became one of the changing owners?

Private equity has been responsible for so many retail and restaurant bankruptcies that I have a standard rant about it: "I listed a who's who of retail chains gutted by private equity in CNN Business explains retail bankruptcies and how private equity is gutting retail, tales of the Retail Apocalypse and again in Business Insider and CNBC explain the rise and fall of Chuck E. Cheese, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic." Add Party City, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Joann to that list.

Company Man Mike didn't explicitly list private equity, but I'm sure it didn't help, given the criticism founder Neil Kiefer had of their decisions.

As for Hooters' identity crisis, I wish the chain good luck; they'll need it.

That's a wrap for this episode of tales of the Retail Apocalypse. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature.

CNBC explains 'How Private Equity Is Behind Red Lobster And TGI Fridays' Bankruptcies,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Wayback Wednesday

Happy Wayback Wednesday! I closed Hooters files for bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse by telegraphing today's topic.

A couple of the videos mentioned the bankruptcies of Red Lobster and TGI Fridays. Those were the subjects of two of the most read entries of last year. Expect me to cover them on Wayback Wednesday. Stay tuned.

I begin today's retrospective with How Private Equity Is Behind Red Lobster And TGI Fridays' Bankruptcies.

Between 2014 and 2024, private equity firms invested more than $90 billion into U.S. restaurants and bars. Red Lobster and TGI Fridays were two of the most notable. The two casual dining giants were acquired through a transaction type called a leveraged buyout that ultimately contributed to their bankruptcies in 2024. Watch the video above to learn more about the most commonly used strategies by private equity firms, including sale-leasebacks and roll-ups, to try to turn a company around.

Private equity has been responsible for so many retail and restaurant bankruptcies that I have a standard rant about it: "I listed a who's who of retail chains gutted by private equity in CNN Business explains retail bankruptcies and how private equity is gutting retail, tales of the Retail Apocalypse and again in Business Insider and CNBC explain the rise and fall of Chuck E. Cheese, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic." Add Party City, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Joann to that list.

Speaking of lists, one of the biggest surprises was the roster of restaurant chains Roark Capital owns.


I've eaten at a majority of them and I had no idea they were under the same ownership! I know I write that it's a good day when I learn something new, but I wonder if I learned something good from this. I will say I learned something useful, that Roark Capital helped defeat raising the federal minimum wage to $15/hour. That makes me like them even less than their name.

It is named for Howard Roark, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead. The firm claims that its name is not meant to connote any particular political philosophy but instead signify the firm's admiration for the iconoclastic qualities of independence and self-assurance embodied by the central figure in The Fountainhead.

Longtime readers should know that I have a dim view of Rand and Objectivism; some of my newer readers are learning this, as they've made A conversation with The Archdruid about Objectivism, Satanism, and the GOP from the back catalog the ninth most read entry during the 2024-2025 blogging year. That's a conversation for later.

Based on the continued interest private equity has in restaurant chains, I expect to see more bankruptcies and write more Retail Apocalypse entries about them. Now follow over the jump for the most popular entries about the Retail Apocalypse posted between March 21, 2024 and March 20, 2025.

Hooters files for bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

I left my usual "Stay tuned" message in the middle of 'SNL' laughs at Trump's tariffs and stock market crash: "Hooters' bankruptcy deserves more than a one-liner declaring the chain's business model a bust, so I plan on blogging about it tomorrow or Tuesday. Stay tuned." I begin with ABC News reporting Hooters restaurant chain files for bankruptcy on April 1st, no fooling.

Restaurant chain Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy in Texas on Monday, seeking to address its $376 million debt by selling all of its company-owned restaurants.

I vaguely recall Stephen Colbert telling that joke, but I'm glad I saw it again to share it. Also, since I have been eating out very little since the pandemic, and when I do, it's at Hooters competitor Buffalo Wild Wings, the butt of Colbert's joke, I haven't noticed inflation much at casual restaurants. I had no idea inflation was that severe in that sector!

The bankruptcy didn't come as a complete surprise, as Inside Edition asked at the end of February Is Hooters on the Brink of Bankruptcy?

Bloomberg News reports Hooters may be on the brink of filing for bankruptcy. The restaurant chain once had 430 locations around the world. Now, 40 locations shuttered in the U.S. in the past year alone. There's another issue specific to Hooters. In the "Me Too" era, Hooters was seen as a throwback to another time when scantily clad waitresses seemed like a fun idea. Inside Edition's Alison Hall has more.

The answer to the headline question turned out to be yes. On the other hand, the answer to whether the chain as a whole will close its door will probably be no. I'll get to that later. First, I'll address Hooters' reputation that might have caught up with it in Company Man's Hooters - The Controversial History.

Hooters is a national restaurant chain with a controversial history. This video talks about some of their bigger controversies over the years.

Company Man Mike was right; Hooters has a controversial history! Now I'm wondering when he'll come out with "The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?"

Yahoo! Finance explains why the chain will almost certainly survive in Hooters files for bankruptcy: CEO talks about company’s future.

Hooters has filed for bankruptcy, but the chain isn't going away. Hooters of America CEO Sal Melilli explains what's next for the company in the video above.

I don't know if Sal Melilli's plan will address food and labor costs, but it does deal with the chain's checkered reputation. I hope it works.

I close by calling back to The first year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News: Part 1 of several, the first time I recall mentioning Hooters on this blog.

I'll leave you with my two favorite images of signs in Troy...The second proves that I can fail the Butt-Head half of the Beavis and Butt-Head test. What makes it even worse is that is the exit sign for the Hooters in Troy. Think about it.

Unfortunately, the Troy Hooters location closed seven years ago. On the one hand, this is the last time I can tell that joke. On the other, it was time my readers and I found out.

A couple of the videos mentioned the bankruptcies of Red Lobster and TGI Fridays. Those were the subjects of two of the most read entries of last year. Expect me to cover them on Wayback Wednesday. Stay tuned.

Company Man asks 'The Decline of California Pizza Kitchen...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic

While I examined a retail giant in Company Man explains 'Walmart - Why They're Hated' for Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day, I haven't written a true Retail Apocalypse post since Company Man asks 'The Decline of TGI Fridays...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse, so it's time to return to Company Man as he asks The Decline of California Pizza Kitchen...What Happened?

California Pizza Kitchen is a unique chain of restaurants that has been struggling. This video outlines each of its six owners while attempting to identify the reasons behind its decline.

I've blogged repeatedly about Chuck E. Cheese this decade, beginning with Chuck E. Cheese, GNC, and Tuesday Morning all file for bankruptcy, tales of the Retail Apocalypse during the pandemic, then Company Man explains the rise and fall of Chuck E. Cheese's, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic, Business Insider and CNBC explain the rise and fall of Chuck E. Cheese, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic, The rise, fall, rise, and fall again of Chuck E. Cheese, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, Bright Sun Films presents 'Bankrupt - Chuck E Cheese's', a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, and most recently 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' returns after winning two Emmy Awards with 'A History of Chuck E. Cheese,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse. California Pizza Kitchen barely merited a mention near the end of Ruby Tuesday and Sizzler file for bankruptcy, tales of the Retail Apocalypse and pandemic. The restaurant chain deserved more and, thanks to Company Man Mike, it got the attention I should have given it years ago.

That's today's post worth sharing next month, which will be next year. Stay tuned for another evergreen entry tomorrow.

'SNL' reacts to the election

I promised a special election edition of highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live and the episode delivered, beginning with SNL for Trump Cold Open.

The cast of Saturday Night Live shares their remarks on the result of the 2024 presidential election.

This is a joke, but the cast is displaying the same kind of worry that Jimmy Kimmel exhibited in 'You're Not Alone' and 'Now What?' Closer looks at Trump's re-election from Colbert, Meyers, 'The Daily Show,' and Kimmel. I just hope this doesn't qualify as "obeying in advance." That would be a bad sign.

Weekend Update: Trump Wins 2024 Election, Becomes First Felon Elected President tackled the orange elephant in the room head on.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Trump promising a "Golden Age of America" in his presidential victory speech.

I have two reactions to the "Golden Age of America" remark. First, as Colin Jost mentioned, it refers to the Golden hour just before sunset, which is the joke. Second, convicted criminal Donald Trump has long had a very bad case of "L'État, c'est moi." As far as he's concerned, he is the country.

Science and animals were the subjects of the next segment, Weekend Update: 43 Monkeys Escape Research Facility, Moo Deng's New Rival.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Starbucks releasing their "Merrier Together" holiday cups.

Every time I hear "40 monkeys" (actually 43), I think of 12 Monkeys, which makes this both on topic for collapse and decline and, along with the news about Diddy and the simultaneous release of Gladiator 2 and Wicked, qualified this post as the Sunday entertainment feature.

Follow over the jump for more highlights of last night's show.

Company Man asks 'The Decline of TGI Fridays...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse

I'm taking a break from election results to revisit what I wrote what I wrote four years ago: "In addition to Denny’s and Applebees, the report named The Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, TGI Fridays, and IHOP as restaurant chains at risk of filing for bankruptcy as a result of the pandemic." The pandemic may have officially ended last year, but it's still having an effect, as Company Man Mike explains while he asks and answers The Decline of TGI Fridays...What Happened?

TGI Fridays has filed for bankruptcy. This video looks back at the company's history while trying to identify five of the biggest reasons behind its decline.

Here's Company Man Mike's list.


At least Company Man Mike isn't listing private equity, which I last discussed in 'Bankrupt - 99 Cents Only Stores' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, as one of the reasons for the decline of TGI Fridays. Also, I found it perversely refreshing that three of the causes for failure were concepts that TGI Fridays pioneered and originally reasons for its success before its competitors followed their examples and the trends played out. On the other hand, I can see how the rise of fast casual did in casual dining restaurants like TGI Fridays and Ruby Tuesday. I haven't gone to a TGI Fridays or Chili's since the Great Recession, a Ruby Tuesday since my wife and I ate in one when we drove to Mt. Pleasant in April 2015, and an Applebee's shortly after that. On the other hand, I ate regularly at Panera until just before the pandemic and would still do so given the opportunity.

That's the latest about the Retail Apocalypse for now, although I stand by my opinion that "I feel like no bankrupt company's story is fully told until both Company Man Mike and Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films have weighed in." Should Jake follow through with a video of his own, I'll post it here. In the meantime, stay tuned for a follow-up to John Oliver on corn for National Food Day about the winners of the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Awards then a special election edition of highlights of tomorrow night's Saturday Night Live.

Stewart, Meyers, and Colbert take closer looks at Trump 'working' at McDonald's

An early happy National TV Talk Show Host Day! I'm celebrating early because I have the perfect three videos for today that my wife and I watched last night and because I plan on going full spooky season tomorrow for National Horror Movie Day. Priorities.

I begin with Jon Stewart on Trump's McDonald's Shift & His "Enemy Within" Threat | The Daily Show.

With two weeks until the election, Jon Stewart sifts through the increasingly weird and surreal election news: from Trump's ramble about Arnold Palmer's d*ck, to his shift at McDonald's, to Kamala Harris's campaign event with Liz Cheney. Plus, he breaks down the GOP's reaction to Trump's "enemy within" comment.

I'm reacting to Trump's publicity stunt by recycling my remark from 'SNL' lampoons the Fox News interview of Kamala Harris in its cold open.

As for Trump working the fryer at McDonald's, I can say it's tougher than he thinks it is, because I worked in fast food while going to UCLA, first at Jack-in-the-Box, then at Wendy's. To repeat what I wrote in 'SNL' tries to turn a week of unfunny news into comedy and gets saved by Adam Driver and Olivia Rodrigo, "[he] should see what it's like from the other side of the counter!"

I don't think convicted criminal Donald Trump learned one useful thing from this experience. He's too old a dog to learn new tricks.

Trump's planned publicity stunt was the second weirdest thing that happened over the weekend. Seth Meyers examined the other in Trump's Weird Story About Arnold Palmer's Penis Size, McDonald's Stunt: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at Donald Trump staging a photo opportunity at a McDonald's and talking about how well-endowed Arnold Palmer was.

Like Seth, I'm not happy about it. I'm sure Standards and Practices wasn't, either.

I close with Stephen Colbert, who brought some good news in Harris Leads In Early Voting, Deftly Handles MAGA Heckler | Trump Fixates On Arnold Palmer's Manhood.

Stephen Colbert is among the millions of Americans who have already cast their vote for president, VP Kamala Harris deftly handled a MAGA heckler who interrupted her rally, and former president Trump subjected his rally goers to a 12-minute screed about a dead celebrity's genitalia.

May Kamala Harris not only lead in early voting, but in the final popular vote tally and the Electoral College, too.

Stay tuned tomorrow as I go full spooky season.

Wombats and pizza for Souther on Detroit-style Pizza Day and Pink Day

Happy Souther on National Detroit-Style Pizza Day! Since Souther shares its observances with other holidays, I begin with the one I have observed since the very first one three years ago. Watch CBS Detroit Celebrating National Detroit Style Pizza Day with Buddy's.

Buddy's Pizza is celebrating its 78th anniversary and National Detroit Style Pizza Day on June 23.

Since Buddy's and National Day Calendar declared National Detroit-Style Pizza Day in 2021, the variety of pie has become more popular. Watch Scripps News, formerly Newsy, ask Detroit Style Pizza: America's New Favorite? History, Recipe & Rise.

Scripps News reporter Ben Schamisso dives into the savory world of Detroit Style Pizza, a culinary marvel that's taking the nation by storm. Revealed by a recent Yelp survey, searches for Detroit-style pizza soared by 26% from 2022 to 2023, signaling its growing popularity among food enthusiasts.

Born in Buddy's Pizzeria, Detroit, in 1946, this distinct pizza variant is celebrated for its crunchy, cheese-laden edges and signature caramelized crust—a testament to its uniqueness. Uncover the rich history, the artful dough preparation process, and the reasons behind its triumph over traditional New York and Chicago pizzas. With its popularity surging by 26% in just the last year, Detroit Style Pizza is swiftly becoming a contender for America’s top pizza choice. Could it be your new favorite?

Talk about a successful marketing campaign! I even succumbed to it. Being a diabetic didn't stop me from buying a frozen Buddy's Pizza Friday and eating it that night for an early celebration. I just made sure to adjust my insulin dose accordingly.

Follow over the jump for today's celebration of Souther, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Summer Solstice, a holiday created by John Michael Greer, who also designated the wombat as the animal mascot, and National Pink Day, another holiday that shares today.

'Bankrupt - Red Lobster' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Happy Sunday! I know I promised the usual entertainment feature and teased the Daytime Emmy Awards winners, but after looking over the awardees, I'm just not feeling it or any other show business news. Instead, I'm revisiting Company Man asks 'The Decline of Red Lobster...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse with Bright Sun Films' Bankrupt - Red Lobster. After all, isn't dining out a form of entertainment?

Since the late 1960's, Red Lobster has grown to become an American seafood institution with over 650 restaurants and tens of thousands of employees. It's also one of the most successful casual restaurant chains to ever exist. So it was pretty surprising to many when they filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in early 2024. However while many in the media reported on the famous Endless Shrimp as the culprit, the truth as to how this company fell so quickly is a bit more complicated. Join me today as we find out how this iconic chain ultimately declared bankruptcy.

I feel like no bankrupt company's story is fully told until both Company Man Mike and Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films have weighed in. Thanks to Jake's reporting, I have revised my opinion that private equity may not have been critical in Red Lobster's failure. Golden Gate Capital's decision to sell the properties the stores sat on and then lease them really did mess up the chain's cash flow. This was on top of the debt from the leveraged buyout. The only good news is that the bankruptcy didn't happen on their watch. Instead, Thai Union was left holding the bag, but not for long. As I wrote last month, "They're done with Red Lobster." Here's to hoping the new owners, whoever they are, have better luck.

That's a wrap for today's tale of the Retail Apocalypse, although I may return to restaurants to showcase Company Man Mike's video explaining why Red Lobster's former sister restaurant, Olive Garden, is still a success. Stay tuned.

Jon Stewart devours the fast-food industry, parts 1 and 2

Happy Throwback Thursday! For today's post that will be worth sharing next month, which is only two days away, I'm embedding two compilation videos of classic segments The Daily Show uploaded this month, beginning with Jon Stewart Devours the Fast-Food Industry.

Jon Stewart takes a bite out of the fast-food industry from McDonald's' promise to use chicken without antibiotics, Chick-fil-A’s Appreciation Day protests, and Pizza Hut’s hot dog-lined pizza.

That Chick-Fil-A segment explains why I don't eat there for reasons having nothing to do with their food.

The Daily Show followed up with Jon Stewart Devours the Fast-Food Industry Pt. 2 on May 28th, which just happened to be National Hamburger Day. Deliberate or coincidence? How about serendipity!

Jon Stewart continues to explore the fast-food industry from completely safe and healthy mid-show snacks, to McDonald’s Monopoly fraud, to the disturbing firing of a Taco Bell employee.

Seeing the segment about the McDonald's Monopoly game fraud reminds that that I wrote about McMillion$ when I covered the 2020 Emmy nominations. That was a fascinating documentary series and I highly recommend it.

Watching both of these videos also reminds me that I was not watching The Daily Show then; I didn't start until Trevor Noah was the host during the pandemic. I realize that I was missing something great then and am glad I am watching now.

That's it for the end of May's evergreen posts. I plan on returning with a more topical entry tomorrow, perhaps just in time for the verdict in Donald Trump's election interference/hush money trial. If so, perfect timing! Stay tuned.