Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Long-standing Mexican restaurant chain Acapulco Restaurant y Cantina is coming to an end after reports confirmed the company will close all 38 of its former locations, leaving only one remaining in Southern California.
The latest closure involves the Glendale, California location, one of the chain's last two remaining restaurants, which is expected to close permanently in the coming months after more than fifty decades in business.
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Founded in 1960 in Pasadena, California, Acapulco was once a major regional Mexican restaurant brand with as many as 39 locations across the western United States.
However, years of financial pressure, changing consumer habits, and the lingering impact of past corporate restructurings have gradually reduced the company's footprint.
After the closure of the Glendale restaurant, the chain's last remaining location will reportedly be in Long Beach, California, marking a dramatic reduction in size for the 66-year-old brand.
The Glendale Property Will Be Demolished Soon
According to nbsla report, the Glendale property is expected to be demolished and redeveloped into a car wash after the restaurant ceases operations.
Employees told media outlets that the closure, originally expected around Mother’s Day in May, was delayed slightly and the restaurant would remain open for roughly two additional months.
In a social media farewell message, the restaurant thanked longtime customers for decades of support, describing the establishment as “home to so many memories, celebrations, and friendships.”
“This place has been more than just a restaurant — it’s been home to so many memories, celebrations, and friendships. We are beyond grateful for every guest who walked through our doors and became a part of our famly,” the restaurant said in an Instagram post.
What Causes the Major Closing?
Parent company Xperience Restaurant Group (formerly Real Mex Restaurants) suffered two decades of financial distress, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in both 2011 and 2018.
This forced the brand to downsize from 39 locations to just a few legacy spots.
Restaurant chains cite rising inflation as the cause of higher labor and food costs, which in turn forces restaurants to raise prices.
Many consumers react to higher prices by avoiding dining out, which impacts restaurant revenue.
Financial troubles have caused a once-popular Mexican restaurant chain to close nearly all of its locations since the Great Recession of 2008.
Acapulco Restaurant Past Success
Acapulco Restaurant and Cantina first opened in 1960 when founders Ray Marshall and his business partners opened the first location in Pasadena, California.
Marshall created a menu that blended traditional Mexican flavors with American tastes, popularized by signature dishes like crab meat enchiladas.
The brand achieved great success by offering a full-service dining experience alongside a vibrant, tropical-themed cantina atmosphere.
By 1977, the chain had grown to 12 highly successful locations in Southern California, which were then acquired by food service giant Restaurant Associates, accelerating its growth into an iconic regional force.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the restaurant chain underwent several corporate transformations, eventually becoming the core of the publicly traded Acapulco Restaurant Group.
At its peak, the brand operated more than 40 bustling locations throughout California and parts of Oregon, known for its lively atmosphere and weekend brunch buffets.
In 2004, the private equity firm Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. acquired the company for approximately $54 million.
Shortly thereafter, the brand was integrated under Real Mex Restaurants, a large Mexican restaurant conglomerate that also owns major competing chains such as El Torito and Chevy's Fresh Mex.