Bye bye, Smokey Bones.

[hardcorestitch]

Smokey Bones is now another casualty in the American dining landscape. All locations were shut down. No warning. No goodbye. Just GONE.

https://nypost.com/2026/04/29/busin...s-us-restaurants-after-filing-for-bankruptcy/

 

[C&Jx2]

Smokey Bones is now another casualty in the American dining landscape. All locations were shut down. No warning. No goodbye. Just GONE.

https://nypost.com/2026/04/29/busin...s-us-restaurants-after-filing-for-bankruptcy/

This is near me. There have been some employees coming out and saying they showed up for work and then discovered it shut down. One man walks from Albany almost everyday… Another woman, with kids, obviously depended on that job. I hope they do something for them.

 

[MIChessGuy]

In a bankruptcy situation, I would be surprised if anything is done for the now-former staff unless there is some specific obligation in that regard. And this is always the way restaurant staff find out about this: they show up for work, and management put up the sign overnight and locked the place up.

 

[team bradfield]

Not surprised, we had one here, very mediocre

 

[goofyernmost]

Unless it was a restaurant for dogs, the name alone would predict eventual bankruptcy.

 

[BrianL]

In a bankruptcy situation, I would be surprised if anything is done for the now-former staff unless there is some specific obligation in that regard. And this is always the way restaurant staff find out about this: they show up for work, and management put up the sign overnight and locked the place up.

That is always such a lousy thing to do. They can give the staff a heads up, or at least call them personally. That just really sucks.

 

[SteveH]

Really not surprised at all, Darden spun them off for a reason (warning sign #1). Then the parent company filed for bankruptcy (warning sign #2), that is the time to start applying and finding a better job. I feel for them but this is how restaurants close, if not employees will walk off with things, damage things or just not show up (don't blame them for that last part).

 

[SteveH]

That is always such a lousy thing to do. They can give the staff a heads up, or at least call them personally. That just really sucks.

I agree on the calling, but they really can't give them a heads up. Assume they use a payroll system a message could (should) have been sent out.

 

[BrianL]

I agree on the calling, but they really can't give them a heads up. Assume they use a payroll system a message could (should) have been sent out.

I mean, it's not too much to ask to let them know BEFORE they show up for work.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I'm hearing so much of this lately. So awful. I agree....let the employees know (at least call them prior to their shift) so they don't waste their time, fuel, bus money, etc.

Many smaller, individually owned restaurants are literally begging for help these days so hopefully these workers will land in a better place.

 

[tvguy]

That is always such a lousy thing to do. They can give the staff a heads up, or at least call them personally. That just really sucks.

I have seen situations with overnight closures where the only people who could have given notice got canned too. So there IS nobody to make those calls.
In California you have to give 60 days written notice or face fines. That is why when Amazon Fresh went out of business suddenly on February 1st, the California locations stayed open until March 13th to avoid the fines.

 

[hardcorestitch]

I have seen situations with overnight closures where the only people who could have given notice got canned too. So there IS nobody to make those calls.
In California you have to give 60 days written notice or face fines. That is why when Amazon Fresh went out of business suddenly on February 1st, the California locations stayed open until March 13th to avoid the fines.

That would be the “WARN Act” if there is such a life altering change in the business for employees. 60 day minimum in some states.