Vegan fast food chain owned by Kevin Hart suddenly closes

A chain of vegan restaurants owned by actor Kevin Hart suddenly closed this week just two years after its opening.

Hart House had four California locations and featured what appeared to be a normal fast food menu, but with a vegan spin. The Hart House had plant-based burgers, chicken sandwiches and shakes to go with fries, tots and salads.

"I founded Hart House to create a good experience that combines the joy of coming together over food, with the power of purpose," Hart said. "Our amazing chefs and team members have crafted a 100% plant-based menu that delivers 'can't-believe-it' flavor in every bite. I know you're going to love it."

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On Wednesday, the company posted a "thank you" on its Instagram page.

"Thank you to our team, guests, and community, who helped make the change we all craved," the post said. "A Hartfelt goodbye for now as we start a new chapter."

Hart House was not subject to the state of California's $20 minimum wage for fast food workers. The rule only applies to chains with at least 60 national units.

"Restaurants need to be assessing their labor value in completely new ways," Hart House CEO Andy Hooper said earlier this year. "We have to start looking at the same kind of 'Moneyball' strategies that have worked in other industries to make the most out of our available talent. Humans are the most important part of running a quality restaurant, and we need to access and activate as much data as possible to put our people in the best position to succeed. We all win together when our data is effectively aligning our employee and business outcomes."

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