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Lack of Irish Luck for Bennigan's

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The parent company of Bennigan's, the Irish-themed casual dining place, filed for bankruptcy yesterday, resulting in the closing of 200 Bennigan's sites along with the 50 remaining restaurants of sister spin-off, Steak and Ale.
However, the 138 franchisee-owned restaurants are expected to remain open, though their future is uncertain without the support of the parent company, Metromedia Restaurant Group.
The casual, mid-price dining segment of the industry has struggled badly in recent times because of higher ingredient and labor costs coupled with downturns in consumer spending. People are dining out less or switching to fast food joints to save money.
I never was a fan of Bennigan's, with my preferred casual dining chain currently being The Cheesecake Factory (On a side note, if you are a Cheesecake Factory fan, they are offering $1.50 slices of cheesecake today to celebrate their 30th anniversary). Applebee's, which truly turns my stomach, is extremely popular near me because our local spot offers half-price appetizers after 10 pm, making it the perfect, cheap munchies food. Other than that after 10 pm traffic, I doubt they are getting many diners. Or at least I hope they aren't.
--Food Services Correspondent Travis

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