Old Country Buffet owner keeps location in state after shutting down more than 160 restaurants

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IMG_2263The Old Country Buffet in Christiana survived another wave of closings, at least for now.

Ovation Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Texas this week, in the process closing more than 90 restaurants with little or no notice. Ovation’s parent company is Texas-based  Food Management Partners.

Food Management Partners is a company known for acquiring struggling restaurant brands and making cuts to restore profitability.

Before the wave of closings, the company had more than 300 restaurants, operating under various names that included Ryan’s and HomeTown Buffet.

The ovation was headed for a time by Delaware resident  Anthony Wedo, who worked to turn around the collection of buffet businesses that struggled during the economic downturn.  The latest Chapter 11 filings bring to three the number of times the buffet chain has been Bankruptcy Court.

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Before Wedo heading the chain, the parent company had already taken two trips to bankruptcy court.

Wedo achieved a degree of fame, thanks to an appearance on the CBC-TV show Undercover Boss as he donned a disguise as a prospective employee of the chain to get a better handle on problems facing the company. Wedo worked on improving the overall quality of food and atmosphere at Ovation in an era of more demanding consumers. The Delaware location underwent a modest remodeling that spiffed up its exterior.

The Christiana store   has fared well over the years, thanks to its location near the hospital and a major employment center with thousands of workers at companies in the immediate area

Wedo left Ovation last year after the sale to Food Management Partners.

Nation’s Restaurant News reported the bankruptcy filing disclosed the existence of a multimillion-dollar legal settlement that was not disclosed when Ovation was purchased.

He is now heading a firm involved in the acquisition of small and midsized businesses in the hospitality industry, his LinkedIn profile noted.

The Hometown Buffet Facebook site continues to face criticism about the abrupt closing of its locations and accusations that workers were given no warning. The posts met with little or response from the company, something of a no-no when it comes to social media etiquette.

San Antonio-based  Food Management Partners is a developer and operator of chains that include: Don Pablo’s, Coco’s Bakery Restaurant, Carrows Restaurants, Furr’s Fresh Buffet and Zio’s Italian Kitchen. Don Pablo’s has a Delaware location near Christiana Mall.

With the addition of Ovation Brands, the FMP portfolio is comprised of roughly 500 restaurants with more than $1 billion in annual sales.

The buffet-cafeteria business that features traditional comfort foods  has been in decline over the years, with Asian buffets taking a larger chunk of the market.

FMP has been making bets on the business as it closes restaurants. It also operates the small Furr’s cafeteria-buffet chain in Texas and New Mexico.

 

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