Fans of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen are feeling the sting this month as more than a dozen locations have abruptly closed across Florida and Georgia.
The shutdowns follow a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Sailormen Inc., one of Popeyes’ largest franchise operators, which filed for protection in Florida on January 15. Shortly after entering bankruptcy proceedings, Sailormen moved to close 17 underperforming Popeyes restaurants in the two Southeastern states, according to court documents.
Records show the closures unfolded rapidly. Eight locations shut their doors on January 19, followed by five more on January 20, and another four on January 22. Court filings as recent as January 26 confirm that the company is now seeking to reject the leases tied to those restaurants.
It remains unclear whether additional Popeyes locations could face closure. Sailormen has not publicly commented on the situation, and requests for response were not immediately answered.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which operates under parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI), addressed concerns through an internal memo shared with Fast Company. In the memo, Peter Perdue, president of Popeyes U.S. and Canada, emphasized that most Sailormen-operated restaurants remain profitable, signaling that the closures are not representative of the brand’s overall health.
Why Sailormen Filed for Bankruptcy
Sailormen pointed to a combination of economic pressures in its bankruptcy filing. These include persistently high inflation, elevated borrowing costs, and customer foot traffic that never fully rebounded following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The filing also highlights intensifying competition within the fast-food chicken segment. While Popeyes operates more than 5,000 locations worldwide and remains one of the largest fried chicken chains, it has faced growing pressure from rapidly expanding rivals such as Raising Cane’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken, particularly among younger consumers.
RBI has acknowledged these challenges, reporting a decline in same-store sales for Popeyes for three consecutive quarters last year, despite the chain’s global footprint and strong brand recognition.
List of Closed Popeyes Locations
Sailormen characterized the shuttered restaurants as “underperforming.” The following Popeyes locations have closed as part of the bankruptcy process:
Florida
-
2005 Ohio Avenue North, Live Oak, FL 32064
-
1601 South US Highway, Ft. Pierce, FL 34950
-
5156 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33611
-
2729 S.E. Highway 70, Arcadia, FL 34266
-
175 South Highway 17, East Palatka, FL 32131
-
649 S. McDuff Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32205
-
1124 N. Young Boulevard, Chiefland, FL 32626
-
27740 US 27, Leesburg, FL 34748
-
200 Green Way, Keystone Heights, FL 32656
-
812 South 6th Street, Macclenny, FL 32063
-
1833 Kings Road, Jacksonville, FL 32209
-
2015 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32935
Georgia
-
401 N. 1st Street, Jesup, GA 31545
-
2106 Memorial Drive, Waycross, GA 31501
-
1610 S. Georgia Parkway West, Waycross, GA 31503
-
68 West Coffee Street, Hazlehurst, GA 31539
-
3319 Altama Avenue, Brunswick, GA 31520
For now, Popeyes fans are left wondering whether these closures mark a temporary setback or the beginning of further restructuring within the fast-food chicken industry.
