Popular Italian restaurant chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The Italian casual restaurant sector has faced both impressive sales results for certain dining chains, while some others have experienced financial distress, over the last two years.

Popular casual Italian chain Olive Garden had been the top dining establishment of all based on systemwide sales, since 2018, until it was dethroned by steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse in 2024.

Texas Roadhouse dethrones Olive Garden

Texas Roadhouse sales increased 14.7% in 2024 to $5.5 billion, while Olive Garden sales rose 0.8% to $5.2 billion, according to research firm Technomic.

While Olive Garden has enjoyed favorable sales numbers for several years, other Italian dining chains have struggled over the last two years.

Many of the restaurants have faced similar financial challenges, such as rising labor and food costs driven by inflation, a pullback in consumer discretionary spending which reduced foot traffic, and lease rates that may no longer make economic sense.

Among the Italian chains filing for bankruptcy in the last two years were Buca di Beppo in August 2024 and Bertucci's in April 2025, as well as huge Pizza Hut franchisee EYM Pizza L.P. on July 2024, Domino's franchisee People First Pizza Inc. on March 26, 2025, and Little Caesars pizza franchisee Red Door Pizza LLC on July 15, 2025.

Italian restaurant chains that filed for bankruptcy

EYM Pizza L.P., July 2024.
Buca di Beppo, August 2024.
People First Pizza Inc., March 26, 2025.
Bertucci's, April 2025.
Red Door Pizza LLC, July 15, 2025.
Bravo Brio Restaurants LLC, Aug. 18, 2025.

And now, the parent company of popular upscale Italian restaurant chains Bravo Italian Kitchen and Brio Italian Grille filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in five years to reorganize its businesses and restructure debt.

Brio Italian Grille filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

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Bravo Rio Restaurants files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Bravo Brio Restaurants LLC, which is owned by Planet Hollywood owner Earl Enterprises, and four affiliates filed their Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida on Aug. 18.

The restaurant chain's previous owner Food First Global Restaurants filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2020, suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bravo Brio previous owner sold chain in bankruptcy

Food First Global sold its assets to Earl Enterprises during the first bankruptcy case.

Bravo Brio Restaurants listed $50 million to $100 million in assets and liabilities in its petition, including its largest unsecured creditor, food distributor Sysco Corporation, owed $1.9 million.

“The bankruptcy petition does not indicate whether the company has secured debtor-in-possession financing or if it has reached a restructuring support agreement with creditors at this time,” RK Consultants reported.

More bankruptcy:

Bravo Brio Restaurants did not reply to a request for comment.

The company operates 25 Brio Italian Grille and 23 Bravo Italian Kitchen locations, according to its website.

Brio Italian Grille's 25 locations:

Florida (7)
New Jersey (3)
Ohio (3)
California (2)
Texas (2)
Utah (2)
Arizona (1)
Connecticut (1)
Kentucky (1)
Missouri (1)
North Carolina (1)
Nevada (1)

Bravo Italian Kitchen's 23 locations:

Ohio (5),
Pennsylvania (5)
Michigan (3)
Virginia (2)
Alabama (1)
Iowa (1)
Kentucky (1)
Missouri (1)
North Carolina (1)
New Mexico (10)
Tennessee (1)
Wisconsin (1)

Bravo Brio Restaurants said in a statement that macroeconomic issues caused its economic problems and reportedly plans to close underperforming restaurants.

The restaurant owner blamed inflationary issues, including rising labor and food costs, as well as declining discretionary consumer spending, for its restaurants' underperformance, the company said in a statement reported by Restaurant Business.

Declining demand and increased competition caused distress

The company said it “has faced declining consumer demand and increased competition, principally from fast-casual restaurant alternatives.”

Bravo Brio Restaurants' owner Earl Enterprises also owns pizza chain Bertucci's, which filed for bankruptcy in April 2025 for the third time.

Earl Enterprises owned Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo before it filed for bankruptcy on Aug. 4, 2024 and sold the 40-location chain to its prepetition lender Main Street Capital Corp. in November 2024.

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