All NewsNovember 14, 2025

Diner chain closing over half its restaurants, no bankruptcy

Guy Fieri often celebrates the classic American diner on his “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” show. His definition of diner, however, extends beyond the classic version.

“To fit the category, a diner does not have to be in a stainless-steel car. Diners haveto be a home away from home, a place where people feel really comfortable,where the food is memorable. This is why we go, to feel part of the FAM-ILY,” he shared, according to an academic look at his career.

Fieri himself described the restaurants that his show visits in an interview with CBS News.

“A lot of these mom-and-pop joints are the fabric of the community,” Fieri said. “You know, these are places the kids got jobs, these are places where you got engaged, these are places where you had your great memories, these are places that you went and got a gift certificate as a donation to your kid’s soccer team.”

Diners, however, have struggled over the past few years, with Denny’s, arguably the national prototype for this type of eatery, having closed dozens of restaurants this year alone.

Diners have even struggled on Long Island, a well-known hotbed for the 24/7 restaurant model. Part of the challenge is that diners sell affordable food, and the profit margins can’t keep up with the rent.

“If you own the building, you’re not paying rent,” Peter Tsadilas, owner of Golden Globe Diner in Huntington, N.Y., told Patch. “Rents are exorbitant right now. Landlords are being greedy. They’re trying to get as much as possible. That’s why some of these diners are closing. It’s not only diners. Everybody’s facing high rent.”

Diners have become a challenging business model.

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Pacific Northwest diner chain hit hard

Long Island has been devastated in recent years with diner closures.

“Lynbrook Diner, Sunny’s Riverhead Diner & Grill, The Plainview Diner, Baldwin Coach Diner, Golden Coach Diner in Huntington, Lindencrest Diner in Lindenhurst, Lantern Diner in West Hempstead, Hampton Bays Diner, Seven Seas Diner in Great Neck, Park City Diner in New Hyde Park, and Franklin Square Diner are just some of its diner closures over the past few years. Many of these institutions had been open for nearly half a century — one for 90 years,” Patch shared.

Now, the damage has spread to an upscale diner chain that serves the Seattle area in the Pacific Northwest. The owners of the Skillet chain shared a message about the closures on their Instagram page.

“After 18 incredible years…What began in a wobbly Airstream on the streets of Seattle grew into a community we could’ve never imagined. Skillet has been a labor of love — fueled by creativity, great food, and all of you,” the company posted.

More Restaurants 

Then, it shared the bad news.

“As times change, we’re making the tough decision to close three of our restaurants: Capitol Hill and Post Alley (Nov. 12) and Regrade (Dec. 12). Our Seattle Center Armory and SeaTac (N Terminal & C Concourse) locations will remain open to keep serving your Skillet favorites,” it added.

Closing Skillet locations (past and present):

  • The Ballard location (2034 NW 56th St.) closed permanently, which was announced January 22, 2018. Source: My Ballard
  • The food‑truck and catering arm of Skillet closed permanently on July 30, 2020. Source: Eater Seattle
  • The Capitol Hill location is slated to close on November 12, 2025.
  • The Post Alley location is also set to close on November 12, 2025.
  • The Regrade location (on 6th Ave.) is set to close on December 12, 2025. Source: Instagram

The company’s owners explained the closures in their Instagram post.

“Like many other businesses, we have been unable to survive the balance of what we can charge for a meal, with the increasing costs it takes to produce a meal,” they wrote.