Buca di Beppo files for bankruptcy, plans to keep remaining 44 locations open

Days after closing more than a dozen restaurants, Italian American restaurant chain Buca di Beppo has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company, known for serving big portions to large groups and its kitschy decor, said it intends to use the bankruptcy process to restructure its operations and keep 44 locations open, including restaurants in Pasadena, Universal City, Encino and Redondo Beach. “While the restaurant industry has faced significant challenges, this move is the best next step for our brand.” William Snyder, chief restructuring officer, said the remaining restaurants were open for business and “we expect day-to-day operations to continue uninterrupted” during bankruptcy. “Like the restaurant industry overall, Rubio’s has been negatively affected over the past few years by diminishing in-store traffic attributable to work-from-home practices remaining in place, and by rising food and utility costs that, combined with significant increases to the minimum wage in California, put pressure on a number of its locations,” the company said in a statement.