Franchisee Closes 4 Chili’s Restaurants, While Franchisor Brinker Trys To Sell Romano’s

Bizjournals.com:

Quality Restaurants Northwest Inc. has closed 4 local Chili’s Grill & Bar locations, putting as many as 480 people out of work.

Parent company Brinker International Inc., confirmed that 4 of Oregon’s 6 Chili’s locations have closed. The company will step in to take over two remaining franchised locations, at Clackamas Town Center and in Eugene, according to Maureen Locus, a spokeswoman for the Dallas-based restaurant company.

Chili’s locations in Beaverton and Hillsboro closed on Monday and 2 more are closing today. Locus declined to speculate on the reason for the closures and to speculate if Quality Restaurants faced financial difficulties. She didn’t know how many people were employed at the Quality restaurants, but a typical Brinker-run Chili’s employs 100 to 120 people.

Representatives of Quality Restaurants could not be reached for comment.