World News – AU – Curtains for Sizzler in Australia as COVID forces full shutdown

Iconic all-you-can-eat chain Sizzler will fry their final cheese toast in November after parent company Collins Foods said the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to remove the brand’s plug

The company’s last nine sites will close on November 15 after years of underperformance About 600 jobs will be affected by the closures and Collins said appropriate severance packages will be awarded and more positions would be found for as many employees as possible, across the company’s Taco Bell and KFC network in Australia

Collins chief executive Drew O’Malley said the decision was difficult for the retailer but was necessary due to the overwhelming impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the buffet-centric brand

« The continued impact of COVID-19 on revenue means that unfortunately these restaurants have not established a clear path to profitability for the foreseeable future, » he said

Sizzler was first born in the United States in 1958, first as a self-service steakhouse before expanding into the all-you-can-eat offering associated with the brand today

Its first Australian store was opened by Collins Foods in 1986, where it gained popularity, particularly across Queensland where it was first launched.

However, since 2013 Sizzler’s performance has languished and in 2015 Collins deemed the business to be ‘non-core’ and started closing stores in Australia, leaving it with just nine

Sizzler’s revenue contributed less than 3 percent of Collins Foods’ total revenue for fiscal 2020, and the company reported one-time costs would be incurred for the first half of 2021

The nine Sizzler stores scheduled to close are in Queensland at Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Toowoomba, Maroochydore and Caboolture; in Western Australia to Innaloo, Kelmscott and Morley; and in New South Wales in Campbelltown

« Closing restaurants is not something we do often and not a decision we take lightly, especially for a brand as beloved as Sizzler, which has been such an important part of history. of Collins Foods, « said M O’Malley

« We are extremely grateful to our dedicated employees, suppliers and customers for their support and look forward to partnering with them through our other brands as Collins Foods’ global growth continues. »

The Sizzler brand will live in Asia, however, with Collins continuing plans to expand the restaurant chain in the region

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Sizzler, Australia, Collins Foods, Taco Bell