Bloomin’ Brands Inc. has closed its Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Regency as it shutters 43 underperforming restaurants throughout its system.
Spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts said Tuesday the Regency Carrabba’s closed Feb. 15 as part of the closures announced Friday. Its other area restaurants remain open.
She said the Regency Carrabba’s had 51 employees. The company is giving employees a severance package and is working to place them in its other restaurants.
The location opened in 1997.
“Closing a restaurant is never easy. It was a business decision and has no reflection on the employees or their service,” said Watts, director of media and community relations at Bloomin’ Brands.
Nation’s Restaurant News reported Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands Inc. said Friday it had closed the locations, but did not say where, because of weak same-store sales at most of its casual dining brands.
Bloomin’ Brands said same-store sales at its flagship Outback Steakhouse chain fell 4.8 percent in the quarter that ended Dec. 25, the news site reported.
Sales declined 2.3 percent at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, fell 1.9 percent at Bonefish Grill, but rose slightly, by 0.2 percent, at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse.
Bloomin’ Brands has more than 1,500 locations systemwide.
In Jacksonville, Bloomin’ Brands closed the Outback Steakhouse in Regency Park, not far from Regency Plaza, late last year.
Six Carrabba’s continue to operate in Northeast Florida: Mandarin, North Jacksonville, Baymeadows, along Blanding Boulevard, in Jacksonville Beach and in St. Augustine.
Bloomin’ Brands also operates seven Outback Steakhouse and two Bonefish Grill restaurants in Northeast Florida.
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