Popeyes Franchisee Closes 20 Sites in Bankruptcy

A Miami-based franchisee operating more than 130 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants in Florida and Georgia has closed about 20 locations amid its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing earlier this year, court documents show.

Sailormen Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection on January 15, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, citing economic pressures that have strained its operations. The company, which once managed a larger portfolio across multiple states, listed approximately $130 million in secured debt and total liabilities exceeding $342 million, along with a net operating loss of nearly $19 million for the previous year. Shortly after the filing, Sailormen shuttered 17 restaurants in Florida and Georgia between January 19 and January 22, according to court papers. A subsequent motion on March 10 revealed three additional closures in Georgia communities of Brunswick, Baxley and Homerville, which occurred before the bankruptcy but were addressed in the filing to reject unexpired leases. The company stated in documents that these closures would reduce its annual selling, general and administrative expenses, as well as restaurant-level costs, by...