Bahama Breeze to Close All Locations, Impacting El Paso Residents

Bahama Breeze, the Caribbean-themed restaurant chain, will cease operations after 30 years, with all 28 remaining locations closing by April 5. Darden Restaurants, the parent company, is converting half of these locations to other brands it owns, while the rest will shut down completely. This decision follows a year of declining performance and strategic reviews for the brand. The closures are significant as they reflect broader trends affecting casual dining chains, particularly those catering to lower- and middle-income families amid rising inflation. Affected employees may have opportunities to transition to other roles within Darden's portfolio.

Key Details: • Final day of operations is April 5. • 14 locations will be converted to other Darden brands over the next 12 to 18 months. • Affected employees may be placed in other roles within Darden.