8 Beloved Restaurant Chains That Are Closing Locations In 2026

"Fast" is a word you hear often when it comes to food in the United States. People want their meal, and they want it now. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 32% of American adults over the age of 20 eat fast food on any given day. Fast casual restaurants are also extremely popular, as they also prioritize efficiency with a little more emphasis on freshness and quality.

But for all that speed and productivity, even the most popular restaurant chains aren't immune to the effects of economic strain that keeps more people from eating out. They may employ strategies like marking up sodas and fries to offset increasing food costs, but sometimes that can only go so far. For these and many other reasons, several familiar chains are closing locations in 2026. Not all of these chains are on the verge of folding entirely — a number of these closures are part of larger business strategies to boost ailing numbers. But strategic or not, they signal a shift in the American dining market that will be worth keeping an eye on this year and beyond.

As part of its "JACK on Track" plan to make the business profitable again, Jack in the Box began closing locations last year, and is slated to close up to 200 restaurants by the end of 2026. That makes this year the worst for location closures in the brand's history. By unfortunate coincidence, it also happens to be the company's 75th anniversary. But even with the continuing closures, the brand has more than 2,000 locations across the country.  

There are several reasons why Jack in the Box has ended up here. A big one is a major acquisition that went bust: The company bought the failing Del Taco franchise in 2022, but sold the business earlier this year at a loss of more than $400 million. The company has also had two CEOs in as many years, which generally signals instability. Add in the massive amount of debt the brand faces, and the plan to sell real estate holdings and close underperforming locations makes a lot of sense.

Red Robin has been in the burger game for nearly 60 years. Operating in 44 states and British Colombia, the brand currently has around 470 restaurants, but between 20 and 30 locations will be shuttered this year, which is a blow to fans of the chain's bottomless fries and sodas (an. With this year's expected closures, the company will have lost around 50 eateries over the last three years, but will maintain around 440 locations overall. 

Much like Jack in the Box, Red Robin is facing debt and hopes that closing underperforming restaurants can help the company relieve some of its financial burden. The business also released its "First Choice" plan in 2025 to help the company's overall outlook. In addition to bringing people into the eateries, the plan also focuses on enhancing the guest experience by improving physical locations through new technology. Time will tell if the strategy pays off.

Pizza Hut has been a food delivery staple for decades, but it's being reevaluated by its parent company, Yum! Brands, and part of that process includes shuttering 250 locations in 2026. While this is only a fraction of the thousands of locations the brand has worldwide, the closures are part of a larger strategy to modernize the company called "Hut Forward." The franchise hopes that shuttering some eateries will allow the brand to invest in new technology and locations. 

The announcement of the closures might be surprising to fans of the restaurant, which was the top pizza brand in YouGov's 2026 U.S. restaurant brand rankings. Pizza Hut also opened 1,200 stores globally last year, making the franchise look healthy from the outside. However, the company's sales declined worldwide over the course of 2025, and it closed nearly 70 locations in the United Kingdom. Yum! Brands should be done with its review of Pizza Hut by the end of 2026, so fans of the The Hut don't have to worry about the restaurant disappearing anytime soon. 

Papa John's is closing 200 locations in 2026, with another 100 to follow in 2027, marking a significant cut. This follows a continued downward trend in sales, as chronicled in the company's first quarter financial report. In an effort to turn things around, the brand is downsizing its menu by removing items like the Papadias, while streamlining its operations with things like AI ordering. 

That said, if you're a fan of the eatery, you won't have to worry about not being able to get a slice. The company is closing locations that can direct sales to a nearby store, keeping delivery options open. And just because the brand is getting smaller here, doesn't mean the business is struggling worldwide. In fact, Papa John's is expanding its international locations by adding roughly 200 new restaurants throughout the year, according to NRN. 

Fans of tropical drinks and island-inspired menus will be sad to know that the remaining Bahama Breeze restaurants were closed in April 2026. This brand had less than 30 locations left and 14 of them were shuttered permanently. The other 14 will be revamped as one of the parent company's, Darden Restaurants, sister eateries, like Olive Garden. The brand had closed about a third of its locations in 2025, with Darden Restaurants contemplating selling the franchise before deciding to stop operations instead. 

The chain closing is partly due to the ways fast food and fast casual dining are changing. People are budgeting less for eating out and spending more at grocery and convenience stores. When customers do decide to stop at a restaurant, they look for speed, quality, and convenience instead of familiarity, according to Tillster's 2026 Phygital Index Report. The trend of finding value away from "go-to" eateries is shaking things up, with long-standing businesses having to reassess how to bring customers back for repeat visits.

Forget wondering where Wendy's beef comes from — the real question is where it's going. The fast food giant in the process of closing more than 300 locations across the U.S. The first Wendy's was opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1969, and the business had grown to more than 5,800 restaurants by early 2026. But rapidly declining sales caused the company to re-evaluate underperforming locations in an effort to turn the trend around. According to a Wendy's press release, the closures will effect between 5% and 6% of its stores nationwide. Restaurants in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New York and Massachusetts are among the hardest hit, but over a dozen more states have multiple stores shuttering. 

Like Papa John's, though, Wendy's is planning to expand in the international market despite domestic restructuring. In fact, the business announced plans to open 1,000 locations throughout China over the next 10 years. It's also seeking opportunities to further establish itself in Europe, Latin America, and other places worldwide, according the company's website. 

Started by a group of friends in the late 1980s, Outback Steakhouse rose to more than 650 locations worldwide. However, the brand began closing restaurants in 2025 and will continue shuttering locations in 2026. Outback's parent company, Bloomin' Brands, is revamping the franchise in an effort to combat falling sales and increasing inflation. The remaining 600 locations will be getting a makeover, with new interiors and refreshed menus. 

Bloomin' Brands is pouring $50 million into the refurbishing efforts, with around half of that dedicated to increasing food quality, according to a company earnings call. As a major steakhouse chain, meat is at the top of the list when it comes to the revamp. The company is honing in on upgrading its grill equipment and overall hospitality experience, too. While those changes will take time to implement, the business hopes to have the majority completed by 2028. 

Despite being in business for more than 30 years, Noodles & Company will be closing up to 35 locations in 2026. The brand had planned to shutter less than 20 when the announcement was made in late 2025, but by January of this year, that number had increased to almost three dozen restaurants. With just over 400 total locations, losing 35 makes a significant decrease in the business' holdings. 

Like Outback, Noodles & Company is revamping its menu. To help bring customers back, the brand has introduced value meals where guests can pick a main bowl with a protein and side. The business doesn't use frozen items, helping to raise the perception of quality, but according to comments by brand CEO Drew Madsen in Restaurant Dive, the menu needs more of its own identity. This is causing the franchise to branch out into flavors it hasn't tried before. Instead of Asian or Italian, the brand is exploring Cajun and Latin dishes. Loyalty program perks, like rewards members getting two dishes for $12 during promotions, are designed to help the company's turnaround plan as well.