Latest news with #OntheBorder
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
RI's only On the Border abruptly closes
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island's only On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has officially closed its doors. The Warwick restaurant, located off of Bald Hill Road, is now listed as 'permanently closed' online. On the Border also has a sign taped to the door announcing the sudden closure. 'We are incredibly grateful for your support and loyalty over the years — it was been an honor to serve you,' the sign reads. 'Thank you for being a part of our journey.' SEE ALSO: RI's last Bertucci's Italian Restaurant closes for good This comes nearly three months after the Tex-Mex restaurant chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing pressure from inflation and changing customer behavior. On the Border has shuttered more than 70 underperforming locations since that filing, including two in Massachusetts. The Warwick restaurant, however, was not among those planned closures. Pappas Restaurants acquired On the Border earlier this month and plans on enhancing its menu, operations and guest experience while continuing to honor the brand's history and fan-favorite offerings. The next closest On the Border to Rhode Island is located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
10-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Popular Tex-Mex Chain's Fate Revealed After Bankruptcy Filing
On the Border's fate following the popular eatery's bankruptcy declaration has finally been revealed. Pending court approval, Pappas Restaurants-which operates Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantina, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse-has been selected to acquire the flailing chain of Tex-Mex restaurants, the restaurant group has announced. "We're excited to welcome On The Border to the Pappas family," Mike Rizzo, CEO of Pappas Restaurants, said in a statement. "On The Border is a brand with deep heritage and loyal guests, and we see tremendous opportunity to invest in its future. Our shared Texas roots and passion for hospitality make this a natural fit." It sounds like Pappas plans to maintain On the Border's original iconic and recognizable branding, with plans to "strengthen and modernize" On The Border locations" existing locations, with the announcement promising that "Pappas Restaurants will explore ways to enhance On The Border's menu, operations, and guest experience while honoring the brand's history and fan-favorite offerings." "On The Border has always stood out for its energy and bold flavors-it's a brand we've known and respected for years," Chris Pappas, co-owner of Pappas Restaurants, added. "This gives us the chance to bring our passion for Tex-Mex to more guests, and we're excited to build on what makes both brands special." The Atlanta-based Mexican grill & cantina filed for bankruptcy protections back in March, citing "inflation" and "changing customer behavior" as causes of the impending bankruptcy filing. Before that original protection request, the chain had already closed 40 locations, with 60 remaining across 18 states, plus 20 additional franchisee locations in the United States and South Korea. That's down from 150 locations at its peak. Next: American McDonald's Fans Can't Decide if They're 'Jealous' or 'Disgusted' Over International McFlurry Release Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Texas restaurant chain will buy Dallas-based On the Border
In a surprise move by Houston-based Pappas Restaurants, the owner of Pappasito's Cantina is buying Dallas-based On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, a 1980s fajitas-and-margaritas chain that had fallen on hard times. The Pappas family has been in the food business and dining business since the 19th century. It started Pappasito's in 1983 just before adding the popular Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. In the announcement, Pappas Restaurants described On the Border as 'value-driven' and serving at an 'accessible' price point. The restaurants can be strengthened with Pappas' business model and an enhanced menu, the company announcement said. On the Border, which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March, operates nine restaurants in the Fort Worth area. Pappasito's has two, one in Fort Worth and one in Arlington. At the time, On the Border closed its landmark No. 1 and No. 2 locations on Knox Street in Dallas and at 2011 E. Copeland Road, Arlington. The company has been owned by an Atlanta-based franchisee for Applebee's and IHoP since 2014 after operating for most of its history as a Brinker International affiliate of Chili's. It is unclear how the Pappas Restaurants will position On the Border, although technically Pappasitos is a sharply more expensive restaurant. For example, Pappasito's charges $29.95 at dinner and $17.95 at lunch for its least expensive fajitas platter, and $17.95/$16.95 for enchiladas. On the Border charges $19.95 at dinner and $14.79 at lunch for chicken fajitas, and $12.49/$10.99 for enchiladas. 'On The Border has always stood out for its energy and bold flavors — it's a brand we've known and respected for years,' Pappas co-owner Chris Pappas was quoted as saying in the announcement. 'This gives us the chance to bring our passion for Tex-Mex to more guests.' Pappasito's Cantina locations in Tarrant County are at 321 W. Road to Six Flags St., Arlington, and 2704 West Freeway, Fort Worth. On The Border has three Fort Worth restaurants plus Lake Worth, Bedford, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Mansfield and Weatherford. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Popular Mexican Restaurant Chains Are Closing Several Locations In 2025
Mashed previously reported on beloved restaurant chains we might lose in 2025, a list that includes Red Lobster, Applebee's, and Denny's. More restaurants may be on the chopping block this year, at least based on developments at two establishments known for offering diners a selection of casual Tex-Mex fare. Both Del Taco and On the Border have recently closed a substantial number of locations throughout the country, and both companies have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an attempt to overcome mounting financial issues. It's worth noting that many Mexican and Tex-Mex-style chains have been faring quite well lately, with top restaurants like Taco Bell and Chipotle steadily expanding. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be enough good fortune to go around, especially when you factor in the rising inflation and diminished economic growth that's putting most people in a precarious financial situation. Both of the struggling Tex-Mex chains also highlight unique challenges like labor problems and increasing expenses related to the purchase of food. There's no telling what's in store for the coming weeks and months of 2025, but it's clear that Del Taco and On the Border have a tough road ahead. Read more: 14 Popular Chain Restaurant Onion Rings Ranked Worst To Best, According To Customers Coming in fourth in our worst-to-best ranking of Mexican fast food chains, Del Taco is a Tex-Mex establishment with locations throughout the U.S. Up until 2025, the chain had a reasonable presence in Colorado with 19 restaurants, but a financial issue resulted in all but one location shutting down. In February, Del Taco franchisee Newport Ventures suddenly closed the majority of the restaurant's Colorado locations in the wake of the franchisee's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few months prior (the remaining open location is owned and operated by a different company). Per a statement provided to USA Today, the closures are intended to be temporary, and the chain plans to "re-open these locations as soon as possible and will share updates as they become available." As for when the re-openings are slated to occur, the future is not so clear. The chain hasn't released any official statements since the closures, and the Del Taco website still lists all Denver and Colorado Springs locations as closed. Based on the depth of the financial struggles that franchisee Newport Ventures has experienced, it seems unlikely that the company will be able to overcome these hurdles soon. It's also worth considering a statement made by chief restructuring officer Allen Soong (as reported by Nation's Restaurant News), who said, "the crew will report to their normal shifts to assist with preparing the stores for indefinite closure, after which all crew positions will be eliminated." On the Border burst onto the restaurant scene in 1982 with the goal of offering patrons Tex-Mex-style cuisine like fajitas, tacos, and enchiladas. However, recent troubles at the chain have led to the closure of approximately 77 restaurants spread out over 24 states, including Missouri, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Colorado, among many others. In light of its many challenges, the chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the belief that it can reorganize its debt and continue operating its now-truncated list of locations. As part of the filing, On the Border is requesting that its leases at the now-shuttered locations be forgiven without payment. As explained by Jonathan Tibus, the chief restructuring officer at OTB Holding LLC (On the Border's parent company), a "rapid loss of liquidity" prevented the company from keeping up with its bills, which resulted in building owners and merchants "to cut off service, withhold goods, repossess leased premises or exercise set-off rights" (as reported by Fast Company). As for the reasons behind the chain's bankruptcy filing and closures, On the Border highlights poor performance at its restaurants, issues with finding labor, and an overall volatile market as possible explanations. Read the original article on Mashed.
Miami Herald
01-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
After Chapter 11 bankruptcy, popular chain closes restaurants
Sometimes customers have no idea that a restaurant they like has financial problems. The signs may have been there if you looked closely, however. Was staffing lower than normal and cleanliness not up to usual standards? Were certain menu items often out of stock or maybe of slightly lower quality than they used to be? Related: Chipotle responds to bankruptcy, store closure reports Struggling restaurants tend to cut corners. That's almost never a good idea because degrading the customer experience causes people to stay away. This becomes a vicious cycle. If people have a worse experience, they are less likely to come back. They may write off a one-time bad experience, but when it becomes a pattern, the end approaches. Fans of On the Border likely missed signs that the chain was in financial trouble. As a regular visitor to the chain, however, in retrospect the signs were there. The chain never really recovered from the Covid pandemic, and wait times were extended. In addition, the chain downgraded some of its menu items and often appeared to have insufficient staffing to operate its restaurants. At the very busy On the Border in Kissimmee, FL, whole sections of the restaurant were often not staffed. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter Located in a plaza where rivals like Miller's Ale House and Olive Garden had lines out the door, the chain would often have a small waiting list and many tables open. That's anecdotal, but On the Border has been struggling and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 4. On that day, the chain began shutting down dozens of restaurants as it worked on a rescue plan. On the Border closed over one third of its locations (about 40) at the time of its Chapter 11 filing. The court filing indicated the move was made to strengthen the chain's financial position and maximize value for shareholders. That's a pretty typical choice of language in a restaurant Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. On the Border filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia. "The company intends to use the proceedings to drive operational improvements and pursue a sale of substantially all of its assets," it shared in the court filing. On the Border's future, however, was hinted at in the next part of the filing. "The company has secured $10 million in Debtor-in-Possession financing with OTB Lender, LLC, an affiliate of Pappas Restaurants, Inc., to fund the Chapter 11 process. Additionally, the Company anticipates entering into an asset purchase agreement with an affiliate of OTB Lender, LLC, shortly after the commencement of the Chapter 11 cases," the company shared. More closings: Popular retail chain to close unprofitable store locationsBankrupt retail chain unloads store leases, key assetPopular discount retailer files bankruptcy, closes all stores Pappas Restaurants has essentially put itself in the lead position to acquire On the Border. They could end up as the winning bidder, but in theory, another company could offer more for the assets. That's not common, but if it happened, the bankruptcy court would determine which offer is better for shareholders. Pappas Restaurants operates a variety of different formats, mostly under variations of the Pappas name. "The Pappas brothers are Houston natives with a passion for exciting, diverse, and delicious food. When they opened their first restaurant, Dot Coffee Shop, they set out to serve only the highest quality product and ensure that every guest that walks through our doors feels like family. Since then, the Pappas Restaurant family has grown. We've opened more than 100 restaurants and become a leader in the hospitality industry," the company shared on its website. Related: McDonald's menu adds new value combo It operates under the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantino, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappas Delta Blue Smokehouse, Pappas Seafood House, Pappas Burger, Pappas BarBQ, Dot, and Little's Oyster Bar brands. The company has not shared whether it will operate On the Border under the Pappasito's Cantina brand or keep the restaurant under the existing name. "On the Border's restaurants will remain open and operating as usual during the Chapter 11 process, continuing to serve authentic Border-Style meals in generous portions, as it has since 1982," according to the court filings. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
