HUDSON VALLEY, NY Anywhere between 105 and 135 Applebee's restaurants and between 20 and 25 IHOP locations will be closing this year, the restaurants' parent company, dineEquity, said in a . Applebee's troubles go back years. ET. While specific locations were not disclosed, over half of the closures are part of its February announcement that by the end of 2020 it would be permanently closing 450 limited-menu Dunkin' cafes that are located inside Speedway convenience stores. After about a dozen friends and family members identified his voice on the video, Murdaugh took the stand and admitted he was there. Because he was the threat to Maggie and Paul. The food-service industry is grappling with a labor shortage. "A cornerstone of the state's case is the video at or near the kennels filmed on Paul's phone starting at 8:44 p.m. in which Murdaugh's voice can be heard in the background. The former lawyer acknowledged his voice can be heard in a video that appeared to be filmed at the kennels, where the bodies of his wife and son were found. Basically, even if IHOP does everything right, it might ultimately be taken down by your lack of interest in a Dollarita. He's manufacturing an alibi. He was motivated, prosecutors argue, by a desire to gain sympathy and distract from a slew of financial misconduct allegations against him that were on the verge of becoming public. Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, among other chains, is doing the same and cutting its online-delivery business at certain points on weekends because of "excess demand," its CEO said in a recent earnings call. But as consumers return to restaurants and demand picks up, a scarcity of workers means they're having to scale back. Instead, they have hinged their case on circumstantial evidence, including video placing Murdaugh at the crime scene shortly before the murders despite his claims he wasn't there. Did you know? The defense has also sought to show that Paul and Maggie could have been shot in a much wider window of time, including after Murdaugh said he had left the kennels. Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to killing his wife and son in June 2021. March 1 (Reuters) - The lead state prosecutor said on Wednesday that only Richard "Alex" Murdaugh could have killed his wife and son, telling the jury that the now-disbarred South Carolina lawyer was "living a lie" and sought to use the murders to cover his tracks. The prosecutor also noted to the jury the kinds of questions Murdaugh asked law enforcement after the murders. According to the former entitys Wikipedia page: On July 16, 2007, IHOP Corp. announced that it agreed to buy Applebee's International for about $2.1 billion. THE DEFENDANT IS THE PERSON WHOSE OWN STORM WOULD LAY CONSEQUENCES FOR MAGGIE AND PAUL AND OF THOSE WHO TRUSTED THEM. Approvals are expected in short order. In July, fried chicken giant Popeye's signed the lease on a new flagship location in Times Square, says New York Post. It's taking advantage of an opportunity at this moment in time.". Staffing shortages have made it harder to keep up with demand. "I wasn't thinking clearly," he added. is an . The parent company of both Applebee's and IHOP stated that several of the restaurants' locations would close permanently after a financial review the company stated Wednesday in a press release. Last week Murdaugh testified that he had lied about his whereabouts on the night of the killings, changing his account after the jury was presented with video evidence placing him at the scene minutes before investigators say the murders occurred. The prosecutor said that investigators determined that two fired shells that killed Paul had "class characteristics" that were similar to a 12-gauge shotgun that the Murdaugh son favored. 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In July 2020, the company announced it would be closing an estimated 800 locations within the year. Check Applebee's hours today and get the service. The disgraced South Carolina lawyer pleaded not guilty to. Sign up to receive texts from Restaurant Business on news and insights that matter to your brand. And that's why we've hired three new development leaders. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets:Wikipedia.org, ScrapeHero.com, and NRN.com. If you're a fan of fast-casual dining, then there's probably a good chance you've paid Applebee's a visit at least once or twice. The landlord is not seeking to collect on the remainder of his lease which runs through 2025, according to court. 22 Papa John's. 23 Buffalo Wild Wings. DineEquity, the . And dine-in chains that have been hibernating on growth are jumping on the expansion wagon as their sales numbers take a turn for the better. Murdaugh trial prosecutors cast him as a 'family annihilator' during closing arguments. This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Applebee's isn't the only restaurant closing in the area, either. As . dineEquity said it had previously planned on closing between 40 to 60 restaurants, making the numbers announced Thursday a significant increase from previous projections. Applebee's are open on some superior day to gives reliable and best services to customers. The presence of the family weapons and their links to the deaths, Waters said, show "the defendant had the means to commit these crimes.". "Given the impact of the pandemic on individual restaurant-level economics, the company is evaluating the viability of greatly underperforming domestic IHOP restaurants," Dine Brands stated in the release. "The closing arguments come more than a month into the stranger-than-fiction trial of Alex Murdaugh, the former personal injury attorney and member of a dynastic family in South Carolina's Lowcountry, where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather served as the local prosecutor consecutively from 1920 to 2006.The family has in recent years been trailed by a series of deaths, including those of Murdaugh's wife and son; the 2018 death of their housekeeper Gloria Satterfield; the 2019 death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach after a boat allegedly driven by Paul Murdaugh crashed; and the unsolved 2015 death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, whose case was reopened based on information gathered while investigating the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.Timeline of events becomes key focusDetails of how the night of the killings unfolded have been a pivotal focus of the trial, as prosecutors have suggested that Murdaugh fatally shot his wife and son and then attempted to fabricate an alibi by calling and texting his wife's phone and driving to his parent's home in Almeda. Alex Murdaugh lied and fooled everyone who felt like they knew him, prosecutor Creighton Waters said Wednesday, as he made his final plea to the jury. Spinach & Artichoke Dip. The company will close up to 1% more of its 1,689 restaurants in 2022 to prepare for growth in 2023. One man controlled this crime scene initially, Waters said, pointing to Murdaugh in the courtroom. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Hilton Times Square building is attached to the Applebee's, including an express walkway for guests to visit the restaurant, but the hotel closed its doors in September 2020. Store Closings Affect Hudson Valley On Many Levels. "We are investing in the empowerment of our brands by improving overall franchisee financial health, closing underperforming restaurants and enhancing the supply chain. >> THE DEFENDANT IS THE PERSON ON WHICH THE STORM IS DEFENDING. State prosecutors and defense attorneys are set to deliver closing arguments Wednesday in the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, the disbarred South Carolina attorney accused of killing his wife and . The combined company became the largest full-service restaurant company in the world, with more than 3,250 locations. "After an exhaustive investigation, there is only one person who had the motive, who had the means, who had the opportunity to commit these crimes, and also whose guilty conduct after these crimes betrays him," Waters said. As excerpted from the article: Applebee's has been struggling for quite some time, closing more stores than IHOP. While the Hilton plans to reopen to the public in November, it doesn't help its (literal) Neighborhood Bar + Grill, which had undoubtedly suffered from the sudden lack of business from hotel guests. After closing about 300 underperforming stores since 2017, the chain expected this to be the year it would open more restaurants than it closed, returning the brand to a path of growth for years to come, . "I never manufactured any alibi in any way, shape or form, because I did not, and would not, hurt my wife and my child," Murdaugh said last week when pressed by the prosecution about the calls, which he said were "very normal. Vinoo . 19 Panda Express. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters, resuming his closing argument Wednesday afternoon, said "family weapons" were used to commit the double murders on the Murdaugh estate. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. But, compared to the 365,000 folks who ambled through Times Square every day pre-pandemic, it's slow growth. Murdaugh, 54, is accused of fatally shooting his wife, Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, and son Paul Murdaugh by the family's dog kennels at Moselle on the night of June 7, 2021. This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. The closing arguments come more than a month into the stranger-than-fiction trial of Alex Murdaugh, the former personal injury attorney and member of a dynastic family in South Carolina's Lowcountry, where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather served as the local prosecutor consecutively from 1920 to 2006. This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. Mozzarella Sticks. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Update: A comment from IHOP's parent company has been added to the story. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets:Wikipedia.org, ScrapeHero.com and AL.com. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets:BethesdaMagazine.com and BizJournals.com. At the height of the pandemic, takeout and delivery services became a lifeline for these dine-in establishments. "Why in the world would an innocent, reasonable father and husband lie about that, and lie about it so early," Waters said. LETS LISTEN. Has your favorite breakfast chain or your favorite burger spot closed up shop? ET on June 7, 2021. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets:Wikipedia.org, WSBTV.com, and BusinessInsider.com. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Closing arguments are underway as the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh comes to an end. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and two weapons charges. From the article: Over the past five years, Applebee's made the strategic decision to close about 300 underperforming units, a process that was completed in fiscal 2021, Peyton said in an interview with Nation's Restaurant News following the fourth-quarter earnings report. Applebee's Restaurants LLC. After closing nearly 100 restaurants in 2020 due to financial difficulties, IHOP shows almost no signs of improvement. Also according to ScrapeHero.com, as of May 24, 2022, 1666 IHOP locations operate in the U.S. with the majority of locations also in California with 221. According to Restaurant Business, both IHOP and Applebee's will grow with new locations in the following years, especially in places where independent restaurants have shuttered and have left market share and empty storefronts for the chains to snatch up. As many chain restaurants of its size have been closing locations at a rapid pace, Olive Garden continues to add the occasional new site. Waters said Murdaugh was unable to answer important questions, such as the nature of his last conversation with his family and what he was doing during certain time periods that night. Some of the information available online is contradictory, however, as other articles conclude both companies are in danger individually. He testified that he went to the kennels at Maggie's request, but insisted he returned to the house before the killings and then left the property to visit his ailing mother in nearby Almeda. Some tenants are planning to relocate to continue operations. Instead, he said, internal body temperatures should be taken. Waters said any "reasonable person" would remember the last conversation they had with their loved one if they were killed, but argued that Murdaugh "lies convincingly and easily and he can do it as a drop of a hat.". This wasn't the first time for the chain, either: three years prior, in 2018, Applebee's 1,570 stores were 100% owned by franchisees. Its spinach and artichoke dip and the Bourbon Street Steak are arguable triumphs of affordable dining. Clearly its malicious, clearly its malicious. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets:Wikipedia.org, ScrapeHero.com, and WMAR2News.com. Applebee's sales were up by 6.1% in March 2021 compared to March 2019, for example. The delayed entity will represent the regions first, once opened. The acquisition was completed on November 29 . "The defense's closing arguments will follow afterward.Jurors heard from more than 70 witnesses over six weeks of testimony before visiting Murdaugh's sprawling property, known as Moselle, in Islandton, South Carolina, on Wednesday morning.Murdaugh, 54, is accused of fatally shooting his wife, Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, and son Paul Murdaugh by the family's dog kennels at Moselle on the night of June 7, 2021. This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. Video below: Former law partner testifies at Alex Murdaugh murder trial. The IHOP family restaurant chain is expected to close as many as 99 restaurantsduring the next six months as the result of a financial review currently underway, and casual-dining sister brand Applebees Neighborhood Grill is expected to permanently shut down 15 branches during the fourth quarter, franchisor Dine Brands Global alerted investors Wednesday. The now-disbarred attorney is separately facing 99 charges related to alleged financial crimes that will be adjudicated at a later trial.Video below: Former law partner testifies at Alex Murdaugh murder trialThe defense case was highlighted by Murdaugh himself, who offered dramatic testimony over two days last week in which he flatly denied killing his wife and son. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Her name at that time was Karen Sandberg, but Scott always. But the almost-all-franchised chain will see net unit growth in 2023, Peyton projected, fueled in part by revenue from innovations that didnt exist a few years ago, like virtual concepts, ghost kitchen and more drive-thru pickup lanes where they can be added. Here are two beloved chains that have declared their plans for growth after years of losing locations. Applebee's is known for opening around 11 a.m. and staying open late, usually till around 11 p.m. or 1 a.m. On Christmas Eve, Applebee's will be closing early, though hours will vary by.