Marie Callender's closing 19 locations as company restructures under Chapter 11 bankruptcy

LOS ANGELES -- The company that owns the Marie Callender's restaurant chain is closing 19 locations as it goes into the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

Perkins & Marie Callender's, LLC is going into the Chapter 11 restructuring process of part of a plan to sell the remaining business operations to another company.

The Marie Callender's chain has dwindled in recent years, consisting now of 28 locations - seven owned by the company and 21 franchised - in addition to a frozen food line available in supermarkets. Most of the restaurants are in California, with three in Nevada.

It was not immediately announced which locations were closing.

Marie Callender's had two remaining restaurants in Fresno, one at Shaw and Cedar across from Fresno State and the other off Blackstone near River Park. Both locations had their last day of business Sunday. However, the Visalia Marie Callender's restaurant remains open for now.

Last month the company closed its flagship location on the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles. At that time, the company cited a doubling in the rent as the reason. It was not immediately clear if that location was counted among the 19 listed as closing amid Monday's announcement on the bankruptcy filing.

The same company also owns the Perkins restaurant chain and is closing 10 locations out of 342 in the United States and Canada. None of the Perkins restaurants are in California.

"As part of the restructuring process, on August 4, 2019, the Company closed 10 Perkins and 19 Marie Callender's underperforming locations," the company announced in a press release. "All remaining restaurants will be open and operating as usual and guests can expect to continue to enjoy the great food and hospitality for which Perkins and Marie Callender's are known."