Smokey Bones, a long-standing barbecue chain, is closing locations nationwide, including its West Boca Raton restaurant, which has permanently shut its doors. According to BocaNewsNow, the closures are part of a larger shutdown of 80 locations by parent company Twin Hospitality Group, reflecting financial challenges for the brand.
Twin Hospitality is converting select Smokey Bones locations into Twin Peaks lodges, a concept that has shown stronger performance. Two restaurants have already been converted, with a third expected to open later this year. Twin Peaks locations are reporting average unit volumes of approximately $7.8 million, compared with $3.5 million at Smokey Bones.
The closures affect 15 underperforming Smokey Bones locations, with 10 already closed and five scheduled to shut by the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2026. According to a company press release, the move is expected to improve EBITDA performance and reduce approximately $1.5 million in corporate overhead. Some industry observers have suggested that FAT Brands/Twin Hospitality could consider a full exit from the barbecue sector in the future…