Bonefish Grill Closing 14 Locations

TAMPA, FL — Diners with a passion for Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp may discover their favorite dish is a little harder to come by as 2016 rolls on.

Bloomin’ Brands, the Tampa-based restaurant chain that owns Bonefish, announced Wednesday it intends to close down 14 locations as part of a restructuring. The announcement was included in Bloomin’ Brands 2015 Fourth Quarter report.

“We expect the majority of these restaurants to close in 2016,” the report said. Sales at corporate-owned Bonefish locations were down by 5.4 percent during a 13-week period that ended Dec. 27, the report noted.

No locations slated for closing were named. Company officials did not immediately return a request from Patch for comment.

Bonefish Grill got its start in 2000 in St. Petersburg. The eatery, noted for its wood-grilled cooking, has more than 200 restaurants across the country, including many in the Tampa Bay area. Bonefish recently earned the 2016 Consumer’s Choice Award for food quality bestowed by Technomic and has been named a No. 1 consumer pick for seafood in 2013, 2014 and 2015 by Nation’s Restaurant News.

Bloomin’ Brands is also the parent company of such chains as Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill.

Photo courtesy of Bonefish Grill