LUMBERTON — While nearly 100 Ruby Tuesday restaurants across the United States will close this month, the two locations in Lumberton will remain open for business.
On Aug. 11, Ruby Tuesday Inc. announced that the company would close 95 franchises by September, but the locations on West Fifth Street and Fayetteville Road in Lumberton were spared the cleaver.
“We are definitely not going anywhere,” said Scott Haines, the general manager for the Fayetteville Road location. He said that both Lumberton locations are doing well.
The Lumberton locations employ about 90 people.
The Tennessee-based company announced the closures after it took a hit in revenue in the 2016 fiscal year, particularly during the fourth quarter. Haines said the nearest Ruby Tuesday to the Lumberton that would be closed would be the Ramsey Street location in Fayetteville.
“Our fourth quarter was impacted by softness in the casual dining industry and increased promotional activity by our peers,” said CEO J.J. Buettgen in a statement. “Given that we expect the macro environment to remain challenging for some time, we are taking the necessary steps to change the trajectory of the business.”
A company-wide comprehensive review of corporate owned locations deemed that many “under performing” restaurants would be closed for the best interest of the company.
“The decision to close restaurants is a difficult but necessary step as we take aggressive actions to strengthen our organization,” Buettgen said. “Performance at each of these locations, despite the loyalty of valued guests and the efforts of our dedicated employees, was not meeting expectations. Full-time and part-time employees impacted by closures will be offered positions in nearby restaurants where possible.”
The company experienced a 3.1 percent decrease in total revenue in 2016 compared with the fiscal year before, and it resulted in a net loss of $47.5 million over the previous fiscal year.
Ruby Tuesday offers primarily American cuisine, including chicken, pasta, pork ribs, soups, steak, and seafood, and is noted for its salar bar and hamburgers. Both Lumberton locations have full bars that serve cocktails, beer and wine.
Ruby Tuesday on Fayetteville Road is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m to 11 p.m, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from 11 a.m to 10 p.m. The location on West Fifth Street is open Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m to 10 p.m, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m to 11 p.m.
