Fast food closures and fall flavors in Peoria

Good morning, foodie friends,

While I enjoy serving up stories about locally owned eateries, Peoria has dished out too much fast food news for us to ignore.

It’s not all negative, mind you, as a popular fall drink has returned to the menu at one well-known coffee business. Yet, the past weeks have also brought multiple restaurant closures.

So, let’s dig in.

Fall flavors return to Starbucks

On Aug. 22, Starbucks rolled out its fall menu – which, of course, included its popular pumpkin spice latte. The more than two-decade old staple will be served alongside other fall flavors, such as the new Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai. A variety of fall foods are also available.

Find all fall menu items: Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks. Here's what you'll find on the fall menu

Red Lobster closes Peoria storefront

Peoria’s Red Lobster has closed as the seafood chain works to shutter nearly two dozen additional locations. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May and has already closed more than 100 Red Lobster locations so far.

Learn more: Red Lobster closing Peoria restaurant, two other Illinois locations. Here's what we know

All Peoria-area KFC locations close abruptly

KFC restaurants in Peoria, Bartonville, Morton, Pekin and Washington abruptly closed their doors last week. The sudden closure also affected KFC storefronts in Pontiac, Rockford and Springfield.

A media contact for KFC wrote in a statement: "We can confirm that some KFC locations in the area have closed. The decision to close a restaurant is always difficult for both the franchisee and the brand. We appreciate the patronage of our loyal guests."

Learn more: Five KFC locations have abruptly closed in the Peoria area. Here's what we know

An extra helping: Check out these fried chicken options in Peoria

While KFC has closed all its Peoria-area locations, there are still plenty of local restaurants which feature fried chicken on the menu. This includes establishments like Gil’s Supper Club and Rick’s Crispy Chicken .

Find the full list: KFC has closed, but here are 12 popular options for local fried chicken in Peoria

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Fast food closures and fall flavors in Peoria