Applebee’s store – Misryoum reports NRPF Group Two seeks to shut additional Applebee’s locations in Florida and Georgia amid Chapter 11 and lease rejections.
Applebee’s more closures are becoming a real possibility as a major franchisee works through bankruptcy and tries to reduce its lease burden.
Misryoum reports that NRPF Group Two. an operator of roughly 50 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar locations across Florida. Georgia. and Alabama. has asked a federal court for permission to reject leases for five additional properties.. The request adds to earlier shutdowns already set in motion during the franchisee’s restructuring process.
The new list includes four restaurants in Florida and one in Georgia.. According to the court filing, the locations are: 2823 South Orange Avenue in Orlando, 2615 SW 19th Ave.. Rd.. in Ocala, 10606 Sheldon Road in Tampa, and 298 Southhall Lane in Maitland.. The Georgia site is 808 West 7th Street in Tifton.. The filing characterizes these restaurants as unprofitable. positioning closures as part of the broader effort to stabilize operations and manage liabilities.
This matters because lease rejections are often a key lever in bankruptcy: they can shift a company away from fixed costs that become harder to support when sales weaken.
Misryoum also notes that NRPF’s planned closures come on top of ten Applebee’s restaurants the franchisee previously shut down. including sites near major tourist destinations.. While the filing lays out the goal of ending additional operations. the timeline for what happens next at each location is not clearly defined. and it is unclear how many jobs could be affected.
The franchisee’s Chapter 11 filing, made in March, was linked to years of declining performance.. Misryoum reports that NRPF said the restaurants were initially profitable. but results weakened starting around 2015. with later pressure attributed to COVID-era disruptions. inflation. and higher operating costs.. As the situation deteriorated. a tentative arrangement involving Applebee’s was discussed. though the company indicated it needed to file before that deal could be completed.
Meanwhile. Applebee’s is involved in the process as a “stalking horse” bidder for NRPF’s restaurants. with expectations around the sale timeline set for mid-month.. Misryoum highlights that it is not yet clear whether the newly listed locations would be protected under any finalized agreement. since some restaurants appear to be included in the court-filed arrangement while others are not.
In this context, the court’s decision on lease rejections could become a signal of how much of NRPF’s footprint may ultimately survive. For workers, suppliers, and local communities near each site, the outcome will shape whether these restaurants transition into new ownership or close permanently.
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