Bertucci’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday, marking the third time the chain has filed in the past seven years.
In a statement, the company said it plans to quickly reorganize for a more successful future. It cited a drop in consumer demand for legacy casual-dining brands, and said it plans to focus on a new fast-casual format called Bertucci's Pronto.
"For Bertucci’s longstanding and loyal patrons, the Bertucci’s you know and love is here to stay as well, just with a few less locations for now," the company said.
According to documents filed in bankruptcy court for the Middle District of Florida, Bertucci’s has between $10 million and $50 million in assets and between $10 million and $50 million in debt.
The Massachusetts-based Italian chain has been shrinking for years. From 2019 to 2024, sales declined 62%, and it went from 56 locations to 20, according to Technomic data. Its website listed 16 locations on Thursday, all on the East Coast.
Bertucci’s is owned by Earl Enterprises. Earl acquired the brand in 2018 for $20 million, after its first Chapter 11 filing. But the chain would file for a second time in 2022. Another Earl-owned chain, Buca di Beppo, filed for bankruptcy in August.
Bertucci's is one of almost half a dozen casual-dining chains to make the move amid a difficult period for full-service restaurants. Inflation has led to traffic and sales declines, which has made it hard for operators to service debt.
But it has high hopes for Pronto, a scaled-down version of the larger brand serving brick-oven pizza, salads and sandwiches for dine-in and takeout. The first location opened Wednesday in Boston's Government Center area.
Bertucci’s was founded in 1981 in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts. Its headquarters are located west of there, in Northborough.
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