One of Missouri’s Most Popular Chains to Close 35 Restaurants?

It's easy to take for granted that popular restaurant chains will be around forever. However, times are tough in the food business these days and there are multiple confirmed reports that one of Missouri's most popular chains really will be closing 35 restaurants this year.

The Today Show, Finance Buzz and Eat This, Not That all have confirmed a report that Applebee's has plans to close 35 restaurants this year. According to the official Applebee's website, there are dozens of Missouri locations still open.

By the way, Applebee's has quite a history in Missouri. Their official site says that Applebee's was first called Applebee's when a new location opened in 1986 in Kansas City, Missouri.

I did some digging, but cannot find any confirmed list of what locations Applebee's plans to close. It may or may not include some of the many Missouri restaurants.

According to quotes from Applebee's President Tony Moralejo, Applebee's as a chain is not struggling, but he said locations will close in what he calls "struggling markets". He also said that it's natural in the growth of a company to open some new restaurants while closing others so he seems to implore that the 35 planned closings to not mean the company is in trouble. He seems to see it as a necessary step for growth.

As this is a developing story, it will be updated when specific locations are added to a confirmed closings list.