Applebee’s franchisee files bankruptcy amid wave of closures

Saleen Martin, USA TODAYSat, April 4, 2026 at 12:07 AM UTC

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An Atlanta-based Applebee’s franchisee that operates over 50 locations has filed for bankruptcy and shuttered 10 locations across Florida and Georgia.

The closures come after Applebee's franchisee, Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 24. The documents, filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia, show that the company has between $10 million and $50 million in liabilities.

Per the court documents reviewed by USA TODAY, the franchisee bought 50 Applebee’s restaurants in May 2012, then bought another 15 restaurants four months later from another franchisee. While the franchisee saw much success between 2013 and 2015, sales began to slump in late 2015.

An Applebee's restaurant in Leland, North Carolina.

“The companies then experienced periods of ups and downs, as they battled through various unsuccessful strategies and promotions, the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflationary pressures presently impacting the entire restaurant industry,” Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida said in the documents.

In addition to financial struggles, the franchisee said operating expenses increased due to inflation.

Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida closed nine restaurants in 2025 and five during the first quarter of 2026, bringing its fleet down to 53 locations, which will be up for grabs in a bankruptcy sale slated for mid-May. Applebee’s is heading the bankruptcy sale for the franchisee, per the court documents.

At least 10 of the already closed locations are in Florida and Georgia, per the court documents. Rob Williamson, a lawyer representing the franchisee, said on April 3 that the business "plans to use the Chapter 11 process to facilitate a going concern sale of all of the current restaurants, and no additional closures are planned."

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Most closures in Florida, per court documents

Court documents reviewed by USA TODAY on April 3 show that among the more than 1,500 locations Applebee’s owns worldwide, Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida ran 53 of them as of late March.

While it is unclear what date the locations closed, the company said some restaurants deemed “unprofitable” had already closed their doors.

In the documents, the franchise said there were 10 restaurants whose leases the company planned to reject.

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These locations no longer appear on the franchisee’s locations website:

Florida

Casselberry – 3315 U.S. Highway 17-19

Celebration – 6290 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

Daytona Beach – 1700 W. Intl. Speedway Blvd., Unit 600

Kissimmee – 14990 E. Orange Lake Blvd.

Orlando – 11036 International Drive

Orlando – 2503 S. Kirkman Road

Ormond Beach – 150 Williamson Blvd.

Panama City – 678 West 23rd St.

Panama City Beach – 10071 Hutchison Blvd.

Georgia

Albany – 637 Westover Blvd.

Applebee’s brand ‘remains strong,’ CEO says

Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida said in the court documents that the company tried to find investors and sell the locations. Company executives worked with banking firm Citizens Bank to oversee the sale process, which lasted four to five months but fell through.

The franchisee said it contacted over 83 groups, and while 17 initially expressed interest, they found no buyers.

The franchisee has reached a tentative agreement with Applebee's and its parent company, Dine Brands. Per the agreement, Applebee's will act as the stalking horse bidder, a term for an entity that sets the minimum sale price for assets during bankruptcy sales, per Washington, D.C. law firm Jones Day.

Applebee’s can participate in the bankruptcy sale if company executives want to. That sale should take place in mid-May this year, Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida said in the court documents.

John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands CEO and Applebee’s President, said in a statement to USA TODAY on April 3, that “the Applebee's brand remains strong.”

“Serving as the stalking horse bidder gives us the opportunity to be strategic and selective in supporting the long-term health of the system and this portfolio of restaurants has historically had solid performance,” Peyton said in the statement. “We’re approaching this the same way we always do — with a focus on stability, growth, and doing what’s right for our guests, team members, and franchise partners.”

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s trending team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Applebee’s franchisee files bankruptcy amid over a dozen of closures

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