For decades, a trip to the mall wasn’t complete without stopping for a meal. Whether it was celebrating a successful shopping trip or grabbing lunch between stores, mall restaurants were once a destination in their own right. Today, many of those familiar names are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Sbarro has moved beyond the mall
For years, Sbarro was synonymous with mall food courts, serving oversized slices of New York-style pizza to shoppers across the country. But as mall traffic declined, the chain was forced to adapt. After filing for bankruptcy twice, Sbarro shifted its focus to convenience stores, airports, travel plazas, and international locations, leaving far fewer mall restaurants than it once had.
Ruby Tuesday has dramatically reduced its footprint
Ruby Tuesday was a common sight near shopping centers and malls throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. After years of declining sales and changing consumer preferences, the chain closed hundreds of restaurants and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. While it still operates restaurants today, its footprint is much smaller than it once was.
Friendly’s is no longer a mall staple
Friendly’s restaurants were once a popular stop for families visiting shopping centers, particularly in the Northeast. Following bankruptcy in 2011 (and again in 2020), the chain closed dozens of locations and narrowed its focus to its strongest markets. Although Friendly’s continues to operate, many former mall-area restaurants have disappeared.
Why mall restaurants are disappearing
The decline of traditional shopping malls has been one factor reshaping the restaurant industry. As more consumers shop online and visit open-air lifestyle centers rather than enclosed malls, restaurant chains have followed the shift infoot traffic. Many brands are relocating to standalone buildings, drive-thru locations, and mixed-use developments where they can attract customers throughout the day rather than relying on mall shoppers alone.
While mall food courts aren’t disappearing entirely, they’re a very different experience than they were a generation ago, with many once-familiar restaurant chains now becoming a nostalgic memory for shoppers.
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