Full Breakdown
Smokey Bones Chain Closes All U.S. Restaurants After Chapter 11 Filing
4/30/2026, 11:36:40 PM
Nationwide Shutdown
On April 28, 2026, every Smokey Bones restaurant in the United States ceased operations. Employees at locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, Rhode Island and other states reported being told to close that morning. The chain’s website now lists all sites as closed every day of the week.
Background and Scale
Smokey Bones was founded in 1999 by Darden Restaurants in Orlando, Florida, and grew to roughly 130 locations at its height. FAT Brands Inc. purchased the chain for $30 million in September 2023 and created Twin Hospitality Group Inc. to operate it in January 2025. Twin Hospitality announced a 2025 restructuring that would rebrand 19 sites as Twin Peaks and close 15 underperforming restaurants, while a 2025 report noted the brand had already shed dozens of locations.
Official Statements & Responses
A FAT Brands Inc. spokesperson confirmed that all Smokey Bones locations had ceased operations as of April 28, 2026 and thanked the communities served. Twin Hospitality Group Inc.’s January 2026 press release said the Chapter 11 filing would be used to deleverage the balance sheet, maximize stakeholder value, and support continued growth, while asserting that its brands would remain open during the restructuring.
Criticism and Employee Perspectives
Employees at several sites said they received no advance notice. A Pennsylvania worker reported, “We were informed on Tuesday morning that the restaurant was closing with no prior notice.” In Michigan, manager Greg Brown noted staff were told “We are closed for good” on the day of the shutdown, contradicting earlier corporate assurances of continued operation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the number of operating locations before the April 28 closures: News10 cites 20 sites, while TribLive indicates the chain had been reduced to about 11 locations after earlier cuts. All sources agree the chain peaked at roughly 130 restaurants, but the exact count of Twin Hospitality Group Inc.’s planned rebrandings versus actual conversions remains undocumented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As of yesterday [April 28, 2026], all Smokey Bones locations have ceased operations. On behalf of Management, it has been a privilege to serve the Albany community,” — FAT Brands Inc. spokesperson
- “We regret to announce that this location has permanently closed its doors as of Tuesday, April 28th,” — Notice posted at the Warwick, Rhode Island location
- “I met my fiancé here, my whole friend group and I've been coming here for at least 15 years.” — Greg Brown, manager, Eastwood Towne Center, Michigan
- “This isn’t just the end of a restaurant—it’s the closing of a chapter filled with shared meals, celebrations, traditions, and countless memories.” — Smokey Bones team, Bowling Green, Kentucky
What’s Next
Twin Hospitality Group Inc. will continue its Chapter 11 case in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, pursuing the balance-sheet deleveraging and stakeholder-value goals it outlined in its filing.
