Popular Florida Restaurant Abruptly Closes Its Doors For Good: 'Sad News'

One popular restaurant chain recently joined a growing list of closures currently taking place across America. According to Nation's Restaurant News , Hooters is shuttering dozens of restaurants across the country, including one beloved Florida location. The Hooters in Lakeland, located on South Florida Avenue closed its doors for good on Sunday (June 23), per Tampa Free Press .

Staff at the Lakeland location were not notified of the closure ahead of time, and former employees of the store were sad to hear how the "corporate structure" has changed in recent years. The company confirmed the news of dozens of closures in a statement obtained by Nation's Restaurant News , assuring the public that while they had to make the "difficult decision" to close a handful of underperforming locations, Hooters restaurants are still opening across the country.

“Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision to close a select number of underperforming stores. Ensuring the well-being of our staff is our priority in these rare instances. With new Hooters restaurants opening domestically and internationally, new Hooters frozen products launching at grocery stores, and the Hooters footprint expanding into new markets with both company and franchise locations, this brand of 41 years remains highly resilient and relevant. We look forward to continuing to serve our guests at home, on the go and at our restaurants here in the U.S. and around the globe.”

Other Hooter's locations that recently shuttered include stores in Louisville, Kentucky, and Bryan, Texas. Information regarding how many stores are slated to close in the coming months has yet to be revealed.