Earl of Sandwich announces closure at Downtown Disney, lays off 167 employees

[joseph821]

https://www.ocregister.com/2025/06/...y_register-breaking_news-nl&utm_content=alert


Expect it to close by end of July 2025.

Per the OC Register:

Earl of Sandwich will close its temporary location at Downtown Disney and lay off the restaurant staff to make way for a new Porto’s Bakery as construction continues on a permanent home for the nomadic sandwich shop at the Disneyland resort.

The Earl of Sandwich Tavern restaurant in Downtown Disney plans to lay off 167 employees and permanently close its temporary location in the former La Brea Bakery at the Anaheim outdoor shopping mall next to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Layoffs will start on July 28 and end by Aug. 10, according to the WARN Act letter.

The Earl of Sandwich temporary pop-up trailer installed in 2024 on the west end of Downtown Disney next to the Star Wars Trading Post continues to operate, according to the Earl of Sandwich website.

A new two-story Earl of Sandwich location under construction near the Downtown Disney performance lawn will include a quick service walk-up counter, sit-down Earl of Sandwich Tavern restaurant and an upstairs cocktail bar.

 

[LAS2AMS]

167 employees?! That’s insane!

What an amazing opportunity they’ve been given at DTD. They’re popular mainly because the food is decent and modestly priced. That said, I really do wish they could come up with a more inspiring line up of restaurants at DTD.

We’d never see an INO (would take away too much business from DL) but why not a Habit Burger (granted it’s declined sinc PepsiCo bought them).

 

[irlandaise]

This seems unexpected. From all the recommendations for EoS I've seen on this forum, I thought it was popular enough to support both that temporary location and the trailer. No?

 

[LAS2AMS]

This seems unexpected. From all the recommendations for EoS I've seen on this forum, I thought it was popular enough to support both that temporary location and the trailer. No?

The site was always intended to become a Porto’s. EOS was literally a temporary fill in, until Porto’s was ready for its buildout.

 

[afan]

why not a Habit Burger (granted it’s declined sinc PepsiCo bought them).

I'd rather have a burger at smokejumpers. I ate at habit once pre covid and that was enough. I have never understood the appeal of their burgers, so many other places that are better at various price points and restaurant type.

 

[irlandaise]

The site was always intended to become a Porto’s. EOS was literally a temporary fill in, until Porto’s was ready for its buildout.

I understand that, but the article sounds to me like this was a decision by EoS to close sooner rather than later, not a forced closure because Porto's is about ready to start renovation. Maybe I misread it.

 

[BrianL]

It's a shame that Disney ever asked Earl of Sandwich to move in the first place. In my opinion they deserve a great spot - and I know they are building a new one - but they need to get it together. Earl is super popular - let them do their thing!

 

[LKing]

It's a shame that Disney ever asked Earl of Sandwich to move in the first place. In my opinion they deserve a great spot - and I know they are building a new one - but they need to get it together. Earl is super popular - let them do their thing!

Looking at the construction, the new EOS is going to be spectacular. They'll have the sandwich shop on the bottom and a gastropub on the second floor. They will be closer to the hotels which is probably a good thing in their eyes.

I'm thinking that laying off employees allows them to save $$ in salaries while they build out their new location. It also gives them the ability to hire back who they want and to bring in a new, fresh crew.

 

[disneychrista]

I’m trying to wrap my head around that EoS had 167 employees. How is that even possible? Wonder if that was a typo and it is 67 employees because even that seems high.

 

[LKing]

I think they use a lot of part time employees. They are open 13 hrs a day. Add set up and clean up and that's a lot of hours that you need to staff 7 days/wk.

 

[RickNJane]

I'd rather have a burger at smokejumpers. I ate at habit once pre covid and that was enough. I have never understood the appeal of their burgers, so many other places that are better at various price points and restaurant type.

Have to agree Habit is definitely not HABIT Forming. Much better places to have a burger.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I understand that, but the article sounds to me like this was a decision by EoS to close sooner rather than later, not a forced closure because Porto's is about ready to start renovation. Maybe I misread it.

The article says Porto expected to start construction in 2025. This doesn’t sound like leaving early, it sounds like it’s according to plan.

 

[brightlined]

I understand that, but the article sounds to me like this was a decision by EoS to close sooner rather than later, not a forced closure because Porto's is about ready to start renovation. Maybe I misread it.

It's bad wording by OCR. They found the WARN Act notification and just summarized it. (Disclosure: I'm not a fan of OCR.)

There was reporting in April noting that the demolition of the two ticket booths and the existing building was imminent, including from OCR: https://www.ocregister.com/2025/04/14/portos-bakery-to-begin-construction-in-downtown-disney/

 

[Jnjtrio]

Think we will spend more off-site out of bubble for food then on site the way things are going at Disneyland + Downtown Disney.

 

[Louis63]

I think Disney is moving fast on the Portos thing. I've heard Portos is trying to bail on the deal.

 

[BrianL]

I think Disney is moving fast on the Portos thing. I've heard Portos is trying to bail on the deal.

There was some back-and-forth previously, and Porto's was going to pull out, but they smoothed it all over. I like Porto's a lot, but I really think Earl has earned the right to pick whatever spot. Why not make Porto's wait until the new building is ready?

 

[Wesley815]

There was some back-and-forth previously, and Porto's was going to pull out, but they smoothed it all over. I like Porto's a lot, but I really think Earl has earned the right to pick whatever spot. Why not make Porto's wait until the new building is ready?

Would love to be a 'fly on the wall' in meetings with Disney/Porto's/Earl's

I feel bad for Earl's employees but hopefully they were warned well enough in advance prior to closure notice itself.
We all knew (from following Disney news sites) even when original location closed nothing was set in stone.

 

[BrianL]

Would love to be a fly on the wall in meetings with Disney/Porto's/Earl's

It seems like a lot of back and forth, and I feel bad for Earl's employees but hopefully they were warned well enough in advance prior to closure notice itself. We all knew (from following Disney news sites) even when original location closed nothing was set in stone.

It's unfortunate that Earl doesn't have a ton of other locations they could shift personnel to. Some chains would just do that, and bring them back when the new space is ready.

 

[LKing]

I was under the impression that the La Brea Bakery location was supposed to close 10 months ago when the portable arrived. I think the Portos back and forth probably allowed them to stay in that location longer than expected.

 

[gottalovepluto]

-