Sailormen Inc. liquidates all Popeyes restaurants, shutting 39 unsold locations amid rising costs and debt pressures.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchisee Sailormen Inc. will permanently close 39 locations after failing to sell them during its bankruptcy proceedings. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2026, sold 97 of its 136 restaurants to five buyers but rejected 22 leases for unsellable properties.
Sailormen cited rising operational costs and unsustainable debt as key factors in its financial distress. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida approved the lease rejections, including 19 in Florida and 3 in Georgia, following motions filed in June.
The closures reflect broader challenges in the restaurant sector, where economic pressures have forced multiple chains to restructure or liquidate assets despite strong consumer demand for fried chicken.