"When it comes to Italian chain restaurants, there's a pedestal made of unlimited breadsticks upon which the Olive Garden sits, and then there's ... everyone else. Some are still household names. You can reliably find The Old Spaghetti Factory, Maggiano's, or Bertucci's in or around your hometown. But one once-popular Italian chain, Buca di Beppo, has faced closures, bankruptcy, and a distinct decline, leaving the restaurant in the red, not unlike the giant, saucy, family-style dishes it serves."
"Like many other chains that entered bankruptcy in recent years, including Rubio's Coastal Grill and Roti, Buca di Beppo cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the chief reason when it filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2024. Indeed, since 2020, the chain closed 30 restaurants, leaving it with just 44 locations still in operation. However, throughout Bucco di Beppo's run, it experienced multiple problems, some of which predated the pandemic by years."
"Between 2014 and 2020, Buca di Beppo's sales fell every year. Once COVID-19 hit, the results were catastrophic, ultimately forcing the restaurant to declare bankruptcy in 2024. From very early on, Buca di Beppo had a rocky road to the top of the food chain, and it's been impossible to get back to where it was after closing more than half of its locations."
Buca di Beppo was founded in 1993 and expanded to 95 locations by 2014. In 2005 the chain faced an SEC investigation after its CEO, CFO, and controller stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company. Planet Hollywood International acquired the chain in 2008. Sales declined every year from 2014 through 2020. Since 2020 the chain closed 30 restaurants, leaving 44 locations in operation. The chain cited the COVID-19 pandemic when it filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2024. Longstanding problems and limited broad appeal compounded pandemic losses and prevented recovery after closing more than half the locations.
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