Fifteen Denny's restaurants are permanently closing after hundreds of locations temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are nearly 1,700 Denny's restaurants in the Unite States.
The 15 restaurants are in New York state. According to filings made with the state Department of Labor, 524 workers lost their jobs because of the closings. None of the employees are represented by a union.
The reason for the closings is "unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19."
The addresses are:
2890 W. Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626 911 Jefferson Road, Rochester, NY 14623 160 Eastern Blvd., Canandaigua, NY 14424 4240 Lakeville Rd, Geneseo, NY 14454 813 Canandaigua Rd, Geneva, NY 14564 6591 Thompson Road, Syracuse, NY 13206 201 Lawrence Road E., Syracuse, NY 13212 103 Elwood Davis Road, Syracuse, NY 13212 3414 Erie Blvd, Syracuse, NY 13214 176 Grant Ave., Auburn, NY 13021 5300 W. Genesee St., Camillus, NY 13031 7873 Brewerton Rd., Cicero, NY 13212 118 Victory Highway, Painted Post, NY 14870 950 Chemung St., Horseheads, NY 14845 1142 Arsenal Street, Watertown, NY 13212
The locations temporarily closed on March 20 because of the pandemic, according to a filing.
At that time, there were 683 employees listed.
The 15 locations are operated by Feast American Diners, which operates hundreds of Denny's locations in addition to some Jack in the Box and Corner Bakery Cafe locations.
Denny's and Feast didn't return requests for comment.
Three hundred and twelve locations temporarily ceased operations because of the pandemic, executives said earlier in May.
The company said it permanently closed a company-owned store in the first quarter. Eight franchisees opened in the quarter.
CEO John Miller told investors in a call on the first quarter that franchisees didn't know whether they could rely on the Payment Protection Program, a federal loan program that's doled out billions in loans that become forgivable if used to pay employees. Approximately 90 percent of franchisees received loans from the federal government or had applied for the loans.
Some franchisees have really good balance sheets but may have made investments recently in the restaurants.
"The liquidity played a role," he said, adding later: "And then some are just really sleepy little areas or some are resort areas that went sleepy really fast."