Florida-based fried chicken chain files for bankruptcy after closing multiple locations 

A well-known Southern restaurant chain built around fried chicken has filed for bankruptcy protection, adding another name to a growing list of restaurant operators facing financial pressure. The filing comes after the company closed several locations, leaving fewer restaurants operating across its once-expanding footprint.

Yardbird files for Chapter 11

Yardbird Group LLC, the operator behind Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 21 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The company and 10 affiliated entities filed separate Chapter 11 petitions, which are being jointly administered under the same bankruptcy case.

Court documents list approximately $25 million in secured debt and another $25 million in unsecured debt, putting the company’s reported debt at roughly $50 million. Yardbird is pursuing a sale of the business as part of the bankruptcy process.

Several locations have already closed

The bankruptcy follows a period of contraction for the restaurant brand. Yardbird’s original Miami Beach location closed this summer after 15 years, while other locations have shut down in recent years.

Following the previous closures, Yardbird has four remaining locations in the United States, located in Las Vegas, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Dallas.

Restaurants remain open for now

Yardbird says the bankruptcy filing is intended to address its legacy debt and strengthen its balance sheet. A company representative told TheStreet that the restaurants currently operating remain open and continue serving customers.

The company has attributed its financial difficulties to factors including expansion costs, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and location-specific operating challenges, according to bankruptcy reporting.

The Chapter 11 process will now determine what happens to Yardbird’s remaining restaurants and whether a buyer emerges for the business.

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