O’Charley’s is shutting down all corporate locations. The Nashville-based casual-dining chain abruptly closed every company-owned restaurant on Wednesday, while franchised locations are still hanging on.
The Cannae Holdings-owned brand has been shrinking for years. At its peak in the 2000s, O’Charley’s operated nearly 250 restaurants. It has been closing locations steadily since 2016.
Wednesday’s Abrupt Closure
All corporate-owned restaurants were scheduled to shutter permanently at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, according to local news reports and confirmed by phone calls to individual restaurants. That includes all eight locations in the central Tennessee area.
An employee at the Harrison, Ohio, O’Charley’s told 812 Now that staff were caught off guard. “There was some sort of board meeting and this decision was not supposed to get leaked, and I don’t even think we were supposed to find out until we showed up for work on Thursday,” they said. That employee said workers were not meant to learn of the closure before arriving for their next shift.
All of O’Charley’s social media accounts have been discontinued. A spokesperson said they “do not have anyone from the company available for comment at this time.”
A Decade of Decline
The chain’s troubles are not new. In 2023, the company closed around 17% of its portfolio to “preserve cashflow” and move to a more asset-light model. That turnaround plan did not hold.
By 2026, same-store sales were down by double digits. Multiple stores closed in July, bringing the portfolio down to just 47 locations. In 2025 alone, the portfolio shrank by 11% and sales dropped by 19%, according to Technomic data.
The Technomic Picture
The broader picture is grim for casual dining. Technomic’s Top 500 report shows chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining out. Coffee, beverages, snacks and chicken were the sectors that thrived.
O’Charley’s 19% sales drop in 2025 came alongside that broader slowdown, per Technomic figures.
Franchise Holdouts
An employee at a franchised O’Charley’s in Niles, Ohio, confirmed to Nation’s Restaurant News that the restaurant will stay open “as long as possible” and will likely close permanently between Sept. 27 and Oct. 4.
An employee at another franchised location in Chester, Virginia, said that restaurant does not have an official closing date.
Cannae Holdings’ Portfolio
Cannae Holdings owns more than just O’Charley’s. The company also operates Ninety-Nine Restaurant and Pub, a distillery, and multiple European football and rugby clubs.
Closure Timeline
- Corporate locations closed permanently at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
- All eight central Tennessee restaurants are included.
- Franchised locations remain open, with no uniform closing date.
- O’Charley’s social media accounts are offline.
- A spokesperson said they “do not have anyone from the company available for comment at this time.”
| Location | Closure Status | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate-owned | Closed permanently | Wednesday, 8 p.m. |
| Franchised, Niles, Ohio | Open, likely closing | Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 |
| Franchised, Chester, Virginia | Open | No official closing date |
Employees Left in the Dark
The closure came without advance notice to staff, according to the Harrison employee. O’Charley’s has not announced what happens to its remaining franchised locations. The company has not said whether the brand will survive in any form.
For now, the chain that once ran nearly 250 restaurants is down to a handful of franchise holdouts. The corporate doors are shut. The rest is a waiting game.
Source: nrn.com
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