A Popeyes franchisee with more than 130 locations in multiple states has reportedly filed for bankruptcy.
Sailormen, Inc., a company based in Miami, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Florida last Thursday (January 15), claiming it was in debt by nearly $130 million, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. The franchisee said it continued to face lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and an “increasingly limited qualified labor force” prior to its decision, the court documents state.
Sailormen, Inc. was also reported to have previously tried to sell 16 Popeyes locations in 2023, though the deal fell through and it was left responsible for the restaurant leases, adding to its financial burden. A total 3,272 hourly workers were reported to be employed by the Sailormen Popeyes restaurants as of January 15…