Story perspectives

FAT Brands Shutters All Smokey Bones After Chapter 11

4/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

FAT Brands confirmed all Smokey Bones restaurants closed on April 28, 2026, ending the chain after its Chapter 11 filing.
The closure followed Twin Hospitality Group’s voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to deleverage the balance sheet while other brands stay operating.
Employees in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Ohio and other states got notices on April 28, often without warning.
The brand was bought for $30 million in September 2023 and spun off into Twin Hospitality in 2025.

History

Historical Context

After Sizzler’s 1996 Chapter 11 filing—prompted by roughly $100 million in debt and a $70 million creditor settlement—the chain struggled through the 2000s, culminating in a 2011 U.S. acquisition. FAT Brands’ 2026 Chapter 11 filing for Smokey Bones repeats this cycle, showing how leveraged buyouts repeatedly destabilize mid-scale casual-dining chains and forced many locations to close.

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Story summary

FAT Brands confirmed all Smokey Bones restaurants closed on April 28, 2026, ending the chain after its Chapter 11 filing.
The closure followed Twin Hospitality Group’s voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to deleverage the balance sheet while other brands stay operating.
Employees in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Ohio and other states got notices on April 28, often without warning.
The brand was bought for $30 million in September 2023 and spun off into Twin Hospitality in 2025.

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