WWTBAM Bored

According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

KillerTomato wrote:According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

I saw a report on the local CBS affiliate website that all Bennigan's and affiliated restaurants nationwide are to be closed today. Some franchised stores will remain open.

Wow!

What happened to Bennigan's is classic MBA numbnut finance.

They had a great concept but over the years they saw they could squeeze pennies by slightly degrading the product and service in unnoticable increments until it became unrecognizable to the original.

I have not been to a Bennigans in years but prior to my last visit I did not have a good experience in 4-5 visits spread over 2-3 years. So I gave up on them.

Our Bennigan's all closed about 2 or 3 years ago. Some replaced by local restaurants, another was replaced by Houlihan's.

KillerTomato wrote:According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

I tried to peek at Metromedia's website to see if this is isolated to Bennigan's or if their other restaurants are involved. Their website is slower than molasses right now, but there is no mention of any of the closings. After thinking about it though, advertising on your own website that you are in the process of bankruptcy isn't too smart. LOL

I found this:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5913146.html

Hundreds of Bennigan's and Steak & Ale restaurants across the country will not open today.

Phones went unanswered this morning at several Houston locations and others had been disconnected.

Plano-based MetroMedia Restaurant Group confirmed that its subsidiary, S&A Restaurant Corp., has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation. All corporate locations of its well-known storefronts, including Bennigan's, Steak & Ale and Tavern, will be shuttered for good.

Company spokeswoman Leah Templeton said franchised locations should not be affected, and it could not be determined immediately which of the Houston-area's 11 Bennigan's and six Steak & Ale locations will remain open.

MetroMedia will continue to operate its Ponderosa and Bonanza steakhouses, the company said in a statement.

cindy.wellman wrote:

KillerTomato wrote:According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

I tried to peek at Metromedia's website to see if this is isolated to Bennigan's or if their other restaurants are involved. Their website is slower than molasses right now, but there is no mention of any of the closings. After thinking about it though, advertising on your own website that you are in the process of bankruptcy isn't too smart. LOL

Local news is reporting the closure of all corporate Bennigan's and Steak 'n Ales. Ponderosa and Bonanza steak houses will continue to operate. Looks like Hop Sing gets to keep his job for a while longer.

BackInTex wrote:

cindy.wellman wrote:

KillerTomato wrote:According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

I tried to peek at Metromedia's website to see if this is isolated to Bennigan's or if their other restaurants are involved. Their website is slower than molasses right now, but there is no mention of any of the closings. After thinking about it though, advertising on your own website that you are in the process of bankruptcy isn't too smart. LOL

Local news is reporting the closure of all corporate Bennigan's and Steak 'n Ales. Ponderosa and Bonanza steak houses will continue to operate. Looks like Hop Sing gets to keep his job for a while longer.

OH no! My first 'job' was at Steak&Ale. We were supposedly the only one in the country that had a Bennigan's in the same building. Bennigan's stayed open much later than Steak&Ale, so it was great to head over there after work. It was a nice place to work, and is still a nice place to eat. I got to pick where we would go for Mother's Day and since we were in ABQ over Mother's Day, I picked Steak&Ale!

My mother used to get Bennigan's and Houlihan's confused and would tell us that she found a new restaurant she really liked called Hooligan's.

silverscreenselect wrote:My mother used to get Bennigan's and Houlihan's confused and would tell us that she found a new restaurant she really liked called Hooligan's.

That is cute!

KillerTomato wrote:According to several reports it looks as though Bennigan's (my former NTN home) is shutting down. I'm not sure if this affects all of their locations (for the sake of my former teammates, I hope not!), but at least some locations shuttered their doors this morning.

They're not answering the phone.

Some people who lived to the south had already started playing at a new Houlihan's in Princeton. I expect the players will either go there or to the Houlihan's north of there on Highway 1. No one plays at the Houlihan's closest to me.

Bob Juch wrote:Some people who lived to the south had already started playing at a new Houlihan's in Princeton. I expect the players will either go there or to the Houlihan's north of there on Highway 1. No one plays at the Houlihan's closest to me.

NTN -- excuse me, "Buzztime" -- at the new Houlihan's in Princeton (actually Lawrenceville, also on Highway 1)? Cool! That almost makes up for the loss of Bennigan's, which I do mourn. Maybe I'll be able to come around on weekends, though I still won't be able to make Tuesday nights.

Rosemary & I were planning to go to Bennigans for a late lunch after my audition -- imagine our surprise when there was a big sign on the door informing us it was closed! Since the Springfield Virginia Bennigans is in a mall -- and we were very hungry by then since it was 3 PM! -- we just wandered down to the food court & I ended up with a not-very-good Gyro

Didn't hear about the bankruptcy till hearing it on the radio on the way home.

How sad...hubby and I had our first date at a Bennigans in Florham park NJ...they had some awesome fried zucchini with horseradish sauce...

silverscreenselect wrote:My mother used to get Bennigan's and Houlihan's confused and would tell us that she found a new restaurant she really liked called Hooligan's.

Once, TLAF REALLY wanted to go to Houlihan's near her old house in NE Philadelphia. So, we took her.

When we got there, she was looking around and around and got increasingly agitated. She wanted to know where Katie was.

Katie is my friend's daughter, older sister to my goddaugher. She has Down's Syndrome. She worked at the restaurant putting the rings around the napkins and silverware. The staff loved her (she's a good kid) and she loved working there.

Of course, you know what's coming.

Katie worked at Bennigan's, down the street from Houlihan's.

AND she had gotten laid off about two months earlier because of slow business.

The Bennigan's near the Houlihan's lost a lot of business when Chickie and Pete's, the legendary Philadelphia sports bar (named as Number Two - or Three. Can't remember which - sports bar in the US by ESPN) opened a branch at the corner.