All Bahama Breeze locations are shutting down, and here’s why
Darden, which owns the tropical-themed Bahama Breeze, said the 28 restaurants, including King of Prussia and Cherry Hill, will close in early April.
The cocktail blenders will go silent in two months as all 28 locations of Bahama Breeze, the tropical-themed chain restaurant, shutter. Parent company Darden Restaurant has decided to wind down the long-struggling brand after 30 years.
Orlando-based Darden announced Tuesday that the locations in Cherry Hill and King of Prussia Malls — which opened in fall 2003 — are among 14 that will close permanently by early April.
The 14 remaining, mainly housed in standalone buildings in the South, will be converted into other Darden concepts over the next 12 to 18 months. The move will end a brand that once counted more than 40 locations nationwide.
Bahama Breeze is just a tiny piece of Darden, whose portfolio of more than 2,100 restaurants and $12 billion in annual sales make it one of the largest full-service operators in the United States. Its brands include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, the Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s.
Bahama Breeze had become a tougher fit as casual dining increasingly chased value and convenience through delivery options. Its sprawling menu — encompassing such options as coconut shrimp, conch fritters, jerk chicken pasta, and Jamaican stuffed plantain bowls — also was seen as a liability.
In a statement, Darden said it had completed a review of “strategic alternatives” for Bahama Breeze and concluded that the brand no longer fits its long-term growth strategy.
While Darden did not release specific financials for Bahama Breeze, the chain has been a consistent underperformer. Over the last decade, the ownership group has repeatedly scaled back investment and closed locations with sagging sales.
Darden did not release the number of employees per location. It said it would work with affected employees to offer transfers to its other restaurants where possible.
The company will still be a major player in the Philadelphia area. Within five miles of the Bahama Breeze in King of Prussia, for example, Darden owns the Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Yard House, and Eddie V’s, plus the LongHorn in West Norriton. Within five miles of the Cherry Hill Bahama Breeze, it owns locations of the Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Olive Garden, and LongHorn in Cherry Hill, as well as Yard House in Moorestown Mall.
The local Bahama Breeze locations made the news over the years. In 2017, six employees at the King of Prussia location had contended that they were fired after skipping work for joining a “Day Without Immigrants” protest; the company disputed that.
On a lighter note, in 2023, retired NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson had dinner at the Cherry Hill location and left a $1,000 tip for his server, who was waiting tables to supplement her income as a middle-school teacher.