Fatz Cafe closes Clinton, all 17 other locations

A popular eatery that opened in Clinton around 15 years ago is closed permanently as its parent company abruptly shuttered all of its locations.

Fatz Cafe, a casual dining restaurant located on East Corporate Center Drive near I-26 was among 18 locations to close in five states.

There was no outside warning of the pending closure across the chain, which served locations in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.

A sign was affixed to the door of each closed location. It read:

“We are sorry to announce that after proudly serving this and many other communities for years Fatz Cafe will be closed permanently.”

The sign went on to state that all existing locations were closed.

Fatz Cafe, which was operated by South Carolina-based Cafe Enterprises.

The closures also included locations in Greenwood and Greer. A Spartanburg location was among 32 closures in 2019. At its peak since opening in 1988, Fatz grew to nearly 50 locations.

According to several media reports, Fatz Cafe’s parent company has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, meaning all of its assets are to be liquidated

“While this is not the outcome anyone expected or wanted, we take solace in knowing that Fatz Cafe served its intended purpose by providing a place for family and friends to gather around a dinner table and make memories that can be cherished for a lifetime,” the company said in a statement to the Greenville (Tenn.) Sun. “We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all our valued guests as well as our outstanding team members and management, who over the years built lasting connections with the communities we proudly served.”

Another Southeastern chain, Wild Wing Cafe, declared bankruptcy in July, reported FSRMagazine.com, but its 24 locations remain open across the region.

O’Charley’s also closed 18 of its 91 locations this past week, including its Greenwood restaurant.