Why are so many restaurants closing? It’s complicated.
Julio and Amy Zuniga opened Maximo's on Broad in 2015. Now, the restaurant is set to close Saturday, June 29. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
It’s tough to be a restaurant owner in Memphis right now.
Locally owned favorites like Frank Grisanti’s, Dory, Maximo’s on Broad, SupperClub on Second, 117 Prime and Bounty on Broad have all announced closures in the past few months.
Even national chains — such as the Cheesecake Factory and Red Lobster — are closing Memphis-area restaurants.
What’s going on is a question frequently asked by restaurant patrons as they ponder which restaurant might be next.
“It’s on everyone’s mind,” said Memphis Restaurant Association president Mike Miller, also the owner of East Memphis restaurant Patrick’s Neighborhood Bar & Patio.
Turns out, there is not one single answer. It’s a complicated confluence of several factors.
“As prices rise, society has to decide what is of value and how to allocate their dollars,” he said.
We sat down with several Memphis restaurateurs to talk about the factors impacting their decisions to close.
Topics
Dory Restaurant Bounty on Broad 117 Prime Mason Jambon David and Amanda Krog Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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Jennifer Chandler
A cookbook author and former restaurateur, Jennifer Chandler has been writing about food and dining for more than 25 years. In her role as the food and restaurant writer for The Daily Memphian, she covers food news, provides readers an inside look into their favorite restaurants and offers suggestions for what to order at eateries across the Memphis area.
Chandler’s stories and recipes have been featured in national publications such as Real Simple, HGTV Magazine and Woman’s World. She’s also appeared on a number of national broadcast cooking segments including Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible” and Ducks Unlimited TV. She also hosts a radio show “The Weekly Dish” on Memphis’s NPR station WKNO-FM.
She is the author of four cookbooks: “The Southern Pantry Cookbook,” “Simply Salads,” “Simply Suppers,” and “Simply Grilling.” While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this Memphis native is about making real food accessible for real families.
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