All Bennagins Closing

[booB]

I do have a friend who'll be extremely sad he can no longer get a Killkenny Salad. HA!

Another one besides me?

Actually, both Ruby Tuesday and Max & Erma's have a salad which is almost exactly like the Kilkenny one, and the service is better at those places.

 

[sh0kr0k]

Ann Arbor.

And I'm pretty sure I found myself at one in Detroit back in my Vic Wayne days. Maybe it was a different place. You would have liked Bennigan's, Bryan. Part restaurant with better food than BW3's, part "Irish pub", part sports bar with a lot of great beer choices.

Fwiw, I'm with Kaosaur on this one. Yeah, it sucks that the companies can be total jerks and it would be 'the right thing to do' to give notice, but at the end of the day they aren't required to do that. They'll only do as much as they are required to and nothing more.... much like the majority of their employees.

 

[Pellaz]

Moreover, legally they COULDN'T tell their employees and manager/keyholders in advance that they were going belly-up: remember, they filed Chapter 7, which means that the assets must be secured by the corporate entity for selloff to their creditors...including the employees whose final paychecks couldn't be paid, who would be considered as such in the filing.

Sorry to interject a bit of reality into the morality debate.

The surprising thing to me is, why didn't they file Chapter 13 and just reorganize?

 

[nailz]

Ann Arbor.

NOT ANYMORE! BOOYAH!

 

[biggs0072000]

I kind of have to agree with Paul and Kenosaur on this one. Capitalism is essentially Social Darwinism in practice, and you can't judge a business venture with your heart.

 

[sarbah77]

NOT ANYMORE! BOOYAH!

HA!!

Turns out, it's one of the franchised Bennigan's that gets to stay open. But I can't imagine it'll be for THAT long. Bet people here the chain went belly up and stop going even though they're still open.

 

[Cheiron]

The same sort of story occurred here with a popular heavy radio station (WHFS, for those who care). The morning DJ came to work (like 4 in the morning) to get ready for his show to find the signs changed and the locks changed as the Corporation swapped it overnight to a spanish language station.... This is how corporations behave, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise.

Yeah I remember that. That was ridiculous. I didn't listen to that station much but it had such history that when I turned it on that day and heard the Spanish I just couldn't believe it.

 

[DemonOfTheWoods]

all I can say is "sorry" to all of those who will be Bennagin-less...There is a franchise Bennagins right down the street from my work who is remaining open.

Looks like I'm safe

 

[spag]

Why couldn't it have been Applebees.

I'm not surprised that the middle of the road places are hurting. Seems like lately, when we do go out to eat, places aren't near as full as they used to be. You've got to figure with the average family paying a few thou more per year in gasoline than a year or two ago, it's got to cut in to that eating out budget. I'd be surprised if more places don't follow.

I'll stick with the mom and pop places when I can. I don't think I've eaten in a TGI Fridays/Bennigans/Ruby Tuesday/Applebees/Chotchkie's type of place in at least five years.

 

[spag]

On the "what does a business owe it's employees" argument, I tend to go with "nothing." Workplace loyalty vanished a long time ago. While some people feel they owe it to their company to give two weeks notice, a business won't necessarily do the same back. It's great if they do of course.

Two companies back, we got word that the head office in Dallas was going to shut the doors in July. Everyone got three months severance. They said that anyone that actually worked for that three months, would get the next three months, through December 31st, paid in full. I thought that was pretty cool. Of course, most people didn't do shit that next three months and were rarely in the office. I on the other hand, was shipped to numerous customer sites for that time, and might have been home a total of 10 of that 90 days.... Got my next job with one of those customers though, so that worked out.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Why couldn't it have been Applebees.

I'm not surprised that the middle of the road places are hurting. Seems like lately, when we do go out to eat, places aren't near as full as they used to be. You've got to figure with the average family paying a few thou more per year in gasoline than a year or two ago, it's got to cut in to that eating out budget. I'd be surprised if more places don't follow.

I'll stick with the mom and pop places when I can. I don't think I've eaten in a TGI Fridays/Bennigans/Ruby Tuesday/Applebees/Chotchkie's type of place in at least five years.

IHOP was supposed to buyout Applebee's, but so far the official word hasn't come. Maybe the deal fell through.

 

[sh0kr0k]

Chotchkie's

 

[rockyracoon]

Why couldn't it have been Applebees.

You said it, man. Applebee's is possibly the worst filth I've ever put into my mouth. Everything tastes like cardboard. Though I suppose that's to be expected when the entrees are frozen and re-heated in a microwave, and when anything that's not a solid(i.e. soups, sauces, etc.) comes in a plastic bag. Virtually all their meals can be replicated by browsing the frozen foods section of your local grocery store. I certainly won't be shedding any tears when more and more of these chain "family friendly," "casual dining" establishments close down due to the economy.

 

[Pellaz]

I almost never eat in places like Bennigans (not that there are many remaining in ATL) or Friday's unless I'm out with friends who want to go there. My personal choice if I want to go to a 'fern-bar' type place is Chili's, who are IMHO the best in that restaurant class.