More Popeyes stores are facing closure in franchise bankruptcy: See an updated list of locations

Another wave of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants are likely to close soon, the latest dramatic development in ongoing bankruptcy proceedings involving a prominent franchisee for the fast-food chicken chain. The franchisee, Sailormen Inc of Miami, has been trying to sell off its assets, which had included about 130 Popeyes locations at the time of its initial Chapter 11 petition in January. But in an auction last week, as many as 52 of those locations failed to find a bidder, a shocking new court document reveals. The grim outcome left Sailormen to determine that “rejecting” the store leases—bankruptcy speak for terminating its agreements with landlords—is likely its next course of action. “Those stores now constitute a burden on the Debtor’s estate, and, as of July 1, 2026, the Debtor will no longer have the authority to use cash collateral to operate those stores,” lawyers for Sailormen said in a bankruptcy filing. But not so fast. After a hearing on Tuesday, a judge allowed only 18 of those lease rejections to go forward, with Sailormen indicating that it will close and vacate the approved restaurants by the end of the month. The impacted Popeyes stores are located in Florida and Georgia. A second hearing to determine what will happen to the remaining leases is set for Friday. Court filings note that Sailormen could still remove stores from the list before the rejections become effective, presumably if a last-minute buyer is found. It’s unclear how many jobs would be impacted by these closures. Sailormen and its legal counsel did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Popeyes declined to comment. Which Popeyes locations are closing? Sailormen has already closed 20 locations as part of its Chapter 11 proceedings, as Fast Company previously reported. The franchisee had said in court documents that it suffered from inflationary pressures and soft foot traffic that never fully recovery from the Covid pandemic. After holding auctions t