A longtime fast-food landmark in California’s Wine Country is preparing to serve its final root beer floats. The A&W restaurant in St. Helena, located at 501 Main Street, will close on March 31, ending nearly six decades of operation in the Napa Valley town. The drive-thru restaurant first opened in 1966 and has remained a nostalgic local staple known for its burgers and frosted mugs of root beer. A [...]
Los Angeles County’s oldest restaurant closes after nearly 140 years
The historic Original Saugus Cafe, widely recognized as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Los Angeles County, closed its doors in early 2026 after nearly a century and a half of serving the Santa Clarita community. Lawsuits and disputed contracts complicate issues, while locals are mourning the loss of a truly historic establishment. Historic cafe shuts down after nearly 140 years Original Saugus Cafe [...]
California restaurant owner behind Fatburger and Round Table Pizza files for bankruptcy protection
Los Angeles-based FAT Brands, the parent company behind several well-known restaurant chains, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it looks to restructure roughly $1.3 billion in debt and stabilize its finances. Several restaurant locations have been shuttered as a result, impacting many well-known restaurant chains across the country. Debt restructuring underway The company announced the filing in early [...]
Ohio-based brunch chain files for bankruptcy, closes nearly 75% of locations
A well-known Midwestern brunch restaurant chain has filed for bankruptcy after years of expansion followed by a wave of location closures. Taste of Belgium announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 6, 2026, a move the company says is intended to stabilize the business while continuing operations. The filing comes after the company significantly reduced its footprint in recent years amid rising costs [...]
Viral vegan burger chain shutters locations after bankruptcy filing
The once-fast-rising vegan burger brand Slutty Vegan has closed locations and entered bankruptcy proceedings as financial pressures mount on the Atlanta-born restaurant concept. The company, founded by entrepreneur Pinky Cole Hayes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year, citing mounting debt and operational challenges. Known for its provocative branding and plant-based comfort food, the chain had [...]
California peach farmers face massive losses after Del Monte closure
California’s agricultural heartland is facing a new financial shock, as the closure of a key fruit processing facility threatens to ripple across the state’s peach industry. Growers who have long depended on a stable buyer are now scrambling to figure out what comes next—just weeks before harvest planning intensifies. A sudden collapse in demand The bankruptcy of Del Monte Foods has led to the planned closure of its [...]
