Nationwide Barbecue Chain Closing Locations, Unexpectedly Rebranding Some Restaurants

A national chain known for its barbecue menu is getting ready to overhaul its portfolio of restaurants in a big way.

And some of them are even getting a new identity.

Barbecue Restaurants Struggling To Succeed

Running a restaurant, even one that is part of a chain, has provided to be a challenge for just about every type of cuisine in recent years,

Seafood chain Red Lobster spent most of 2024 battling through restaurant closings and bankruptcy proceedings and is now trying to win back customers in 2025. Mexican restaurant On The Border recently closed a third of its restaurants before filing for bankruptcy.

READ MORE: 21 Fast-Growing Restaurant Chains Opening Just About Everywhere This Year

Barbecue joints also have been hit hard, including the largest chain in the U.S. In 2024, Dickey's closed more than 100 locations after being hit hard by rising operating costs.

Now, another chain serving up barbecue has is ready to shutdown some restaurants while putting a fresh face on others.

What's Happening To Smokey Bones?

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill originally opened in Orland, Florida in the late 1990s. At one time. the chain had around 130 locations before the brand was sold off by Darden Restaurants, the company behind Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and several other casual dining spots.

The Smokey Bones restaurant portfolio was reduced to around 60 restaurants after Fat Brands took it over. Now, it looks like that number will drastically shrink yet again in the coming months.

According to a new report from TheStreet.com, Fat Brands has announced it will close as many as nine underperforming locations. Additionally, the company will also rebrand nearly half of its locations to Twin Peaks restaurants.

The Twin Peaks brand is sort of an outdoorsy take on Hooters.

"The second you step inside, you're surrounded by a lodge full of friendly and attentive Twin Peaks Girls serving up scratch food and our signature 29 degrees beers," the restaurant says on its website.

The company has yet to reveal which Smokey Bones locations will close or convert to the Twin Peaks brand.