Beef-a-Roo permanently closed all corporate-owned locations, the company announced July 7, reversing its July 2 statement that the shutdowns were temporary.
The Manhattan location on Anderson Avenue was corporate-owned and has been permanently shut down.
Parent company Elysian Capital initially closed the 15 restaurants following employee walkouts and financial instability. On July 7, Elysian Capital shut down its website and issued layoff notices to hundreds of employees, including Vice President Jeremy Wise.
Emails to staff blamed the closures on severe financial constraints and promised final paychecks when funding became available. Workers said the closures blindsided them.
The closure followed weeks of payroll delays that management previously blamed on a temporary payroll funding disruption. Elysian Capital has owned Beef-a-Roo since 2019, and employees said the company was trying to find a buyer. During the turmoil, leadership told staff they were trying to secure funding for payroll, but operations ultimately ceased across all corporate-owned stores.
The closure affected stores across Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas and Texas. Independently owned and franchised locations remain open.