Noodles &, Company will close 55 underperforming restaurants — more than 10 percent of its 528 locations — as it works to right its financial ship amid persistently weak sales, the fast-casual operator said Thursday. … Noodles &, Company said it would close 55 locations in the first and second quarters.
It closed a lot of restaurants in 2017
In February of 2017, Noodles and Company announced it was shutting down 55 of its 528 locations (at the time). The company cited underperformance at the restaurants and claimed its overall earnings would have increased by $7.3 million if not for those 55 dead weights. Thats one tough noodle to swallow.
While one of its shareholders stepped in to quasi save the day with an $18.5 million boost in exchange for permission to buy additional shares and preferred stock, Noodles still had a lot of work to do to make up for the lackluster performance of its restaurants that went bust. According to CEO Dave Boennighausen, “These initiatives focus on our strong, go-forward restaurant portfolio; shore up our balance sheet; and give us the financial flexibility to further our in-restaurant operational and culinary initiatives.” That might or might not be corporate jargon for “weve got to get our s**t together ASAP,” but either way, signs of overall closure might be suspicious for customers who prefer to dine where business is booming.
When youre cooking at home, pasta is generally one of the cheapest options around. A bag of noodles at your average grocery store chain barely sets you back $2, which is why if youre a restaurant serving up pasta dishes, they better be so delicious that they justify the higher price tag. According to some, Noodles isnt delivering carb concoctions that are worth the extra dough.
A staff writer for the CU Independent claimed, “I could have gone to Safeway to buy some noodles, some marinara, and a chicken breast, cooked it all myself, added some spices and still spent less than $9. Plus, it wouldve tasted better.” One unsatisfied Noodles and Company customer took to Trip Advisor to air their complaints saying, “This place is too expensive for no more noodles than you get. The beef stroganoff was horrific. The noodles tasted like pure starch.” And another unhappy customer wrote on Pissed Consumer, “We have noticed that the quality (and quantity) of the food has been steadily going downhill… the prices sure arent going down, theyve actually gone up. We wont be back to Noodles anymore, we had given it too many chances.”
Budget-conscious diners might be tempted to save the money allotted for going out to eat for places that dont make dishes they could easily whip up at home for at least half the cost and possibly better flavor.
If you are living that #gflife (thats “gluten-free life” for those not in the know on the hashtag we just made up) for serious medical reasons and your body reacts negatively to any trace of the stuff, you know how hard it is to find a restaurant thats truly, for real, 100 percent free of gluten. Its nearly impossible.
So it would make sense that when you do decide to brave it all and go to a restaurant, it might not be wise to choose one whose primary product could also go by Captain Gluten, even if there are gluten-free options on the menu. Even Noodles and Company itself admits that individuals with gluten allergies or intolerance should dine at their own risk. The company states on its website, “Even with a strict adherence toward maintaining spotless restaurants, we simply have too much wheat and gluten present to be able to eliminate the cross contamination on our equipment and food prep areas.”
While this might not have been an issue when the restaurant started in the 1990s, it can be a serious deal breaker for the gluten-phobic sector of todays diners. As the anti-gluten lifestyle has become more common, its possible that a lot of consumers are much more likely to choose a restaurant that doesnt glorify the enemy (gluten).
Did noodles and company change their menu?
The change was a dramatic step forward for the fast casual. … When Noodles & Company rolled out new menu items and menuboards in its 460 locations on May 8, it marked a dramatic step forward for the fast-casual chain.
Is Noodles and Company owned by Chipotle?
The students concluded that there is most definitely a relationship between the two restaurant chains, though they are not owned by the same company as far as can be discovered. … An inset map of Chipotle and Noodles restaurants in Minnesota.
FAQ
Did noodles get rid of stroganoff?
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Did noodles change their menu?
Is Noodles and Company owned by Panera?