Another round of Popeyes restaurant closures is moving forward after one of the chain’s largest franchise operators failed to secure buyers for dozens of locations. The latest development marks another setback in a months-long bankruptcy case that has already resulted in multiple restaurant shutdowns across the Southeast.
More Popeyes restaurants are expected to close
Miami-based franchisee Sailormen Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, had hoped to sell all 136 of its Popeyes restaurants in Florida and Georgia as part of its restructuring plan. While buyers stepped in to purchase many of the locations (nearly 100 of them), dozens failed to attract offers during the court-supervised auction process.
According to court filings, a bankruptcy judge has approved the rejection of leases for 18 restaurants, clearing the way for those locations to close by the end of June. According to sources, around 52 of the impacted Popeyes locations didn’t find buyers.
Rising costs contributed to financial troubles
Sailormen cited several challenges that pushed the company into bankruptcy, including inflation, rising operating expenses, higher borrowing costs, and weaker customer traffic that never fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of its filing, the franchise operator reported roughly $130 million in debt.
Not every location will disappear, however. Nearly 100 restaurants found new owners during the auction process, including several acquired by Popeyes corporate and other franchise groups that plan to continue operating the stores.
The Popeyes brand remains strong
The closures affect only the bankrupt franchise operator—not the Popeyes brand as a whole. Restaurant Brands International, Popeyes’ parent company, continues to operate thousands of restaurants worldwide through independently owned franchisees.
Still, the latest closures highlight the financial pressure many restaurant operators continue to face in 2026 as labor costs, inflation, and changing consumer spending habits reshape the industry. For customers in Florida and Georgia, the bankruptcy means more neighborhood Popeyes locations could soon disappear.
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