Souplantation's buffet-style restaurants closing permanently due to COVID-19 pandemic

[Demovictory9]

https://ktla.com/news/california/souplantations-buffet-style-restaurants-closing-permanently-due-to-covid-19-pandemic/

Souplantation, the popular buffet-style dining brand founded in San Diego 42 years ago, is closing all of its restaurants permanently, a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic that is likely to be the death knell for all self-serve eateries.

The permanent closing of the 97 restaurants, including 44 in California, was announced Thursday after weeks of efforts to salvage San Diego-based Garden Fresh Restaurants, the parent company of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. The closing will mean lost jobs for 4,400 employees.

“The FDA had previously put out recommendations that included discontinuing self-serve stations, like self-serve beverages in fast food, but they specifically talked about salad bars and buffets,” said John Haywood, chief executive of Garden Fresh. “The regulations are understandable, but unfortunately, it makes it very difficult to reopen. And I’m not sure the health departments are ever going to allow it.

“We could’ve overcome any other obstacle, and we’ve worked for eight weeks to overcome these intermittent financial challenges, but it doesn’t work if we are not allowed to continue our model.”

[msongs]

1. time to bring back cafeterias with serving lines nt

[jimfields33]

2. Yeah I'm not sure why they couldn't do that

Sure hire four or five additional workers depending on how long and how many sides buffet has. It seems easier then closing for good.

[JI7]

3. I went there once and the set up is weird

the section they have the salads is where people line up to pay . You get the salad and then pay . So what if you wanted more salad ?

With the quarantine and people cooking at home more I do wonder if people are realizing they can make better food at home anyways and it's something that will stick around. With the internet and especially things like youtube it's easy to find and learn how to make many different foods.

And maybe restaurants and other food places will be of higher quality and people will go out more for special occasions or if they can't make anything at home. The way it use to be I guess.

[Codeine]

6. You just go back and grab a clean plate

and load back up. I’m really going to miss Souplantation.

If the amount of business being done by delivery and drive-thrus is any indication people haven’t realized they can make better at home.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. We got off the grid about a week or two before the States began to wake up.

We ate at Sweet Tomatoes just a few days before our voluntary self-quarantine began. And I remember trying to remember everything about the room and the experience, because I knew I wouldn't be seeing it again for a long time.

But I never expected them to close permanently.

[genxlib]

5. This is sad

Not terribly surprising but sad.