Rhode Island has officially lost the last remaining location of a longtime national barbecue chain after the company abruptly shut down its final restaurant in the state, marking a complete exit from the market. The closure was part of a broader nationwide shutdown on April 28, when parent company FAT Brands confirmed that all remaining restaurants had ceased operations. The move follows the company’s January 2026 Chapter [...]
Texas Costco Shoppers Are Buying This $14 Bakery Dessert Faster Than Stores Can Restock It
Texas Costco shoppers may want to check the bakery section closely on their next warehouse run. A massive 3-pound caramel flan has been making the rounds among Costco fans, and it is exactly the kind of oversized dessert the warehouse chain is famous for: big enough for a party, cheap enough to feel like a deal, and unusual enough to get shoppers talking. While the dessert is not exclusive to Texas — it has been documented [...]
Buc-ee’s “Big 3” Virginia expansion plans: 1 open, 1 clears major hurdle, 1 pushed to 2031
Virginia's Buc-ee's era is officially expanding — but the chain's map across the commonwealth is getting more complicated. The Texas-based travel center chain opened its first Virginia location in Mount Crawford, in Rockingham County, on June 30, 2025. The store sits off Interstate 81 at Exit 240, near Harrisonburg, and includes the familiar Buc-ee's formula: a 74,000-square-foot convenience store, barbecue, Beaver Nuggets, [...]
CAVA Is Expanding in Columbus — and It Says a Lot About Where Faster Food Is Headed
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus, a hotbed of restaurant concept testing, just got another sign that the fast-casual restaurant wars are shifting beyond burgers, burritos, and chicken sandwiches. CAVA, the Mediterranean fast-casual chain known for customizable bowls, salads, pitas, dips, and spicy harissa-style flavors, has opened a new restaurant at 1370 Polaris Parkway in Columbus. According to the company's press release, the [...]
BBQ chain fully exits Massachusetts, abruptly closes final locations amid bankruptcy filing
Massachusetts has officially lost its last remaining Smokey Bones locations after the barbecue chain abruptly shut down its final two restaurants in the state, marking a complete exit from the market. Parent company FAT Brands confirmed that Smokey Bones locations in Tyngsboro and Taunton are now closed as part of the company’s nationwide shutdown. A spokesperson said all Smokey Bones restaurants ceased operations on April [...]
BBQ chain exits New York after closing final restaurant locations amid bankruptcy
New York has officially lost the last remaining locations of a longtime national barbecue chain after the company abruptly shut down its final restaurants in the state, marking a complete exit from the market. The closures were part of a broader nationwide shutdown on April 28, when parent company FAT Brands confirmed that all remaining restaurants had ceased operations. The move follows the company’s January 2026 Chapter [...]
