Ryan’s buffet in Statesboro has officially closed it’s doors. It is one of 40 other locations that have closed, including the location in Augusta. Sunday was the buffet’s last day of operation. The closing was cited as happening because of financial reasons. On Monday, the parent company in Texas that owns Ryan’s and other related restaurants filed for bankruptcy.

The unusual thing about the closing of the location is that the restaurant was continuing to get new items. According to WTOC, one employee Jennifer Beaulieu, describes the closing as a total surprise. 74 stores had just closed in February, but when the Statesboro location didn’t close, Beaulieu and her 50 co-workers thought that everything was okay.

“We just got a new heating and air system installed. They had just brought us a new ice cream machine. They kept bringing us new equipment,” Beaulieu says. Yet, at 5 a.m. on Sunday management came to inform her of it’s closing.

The workers are now forced to look for new employment. “It is awful because most of the staff didn’t even know about it and woke up the next morning without a job, Jonathan Baggett, Sophomore It major, said.

Ryan did have a loyal customer base, with patrons disappointed at its closing. “I loved Ryan’s! Were they better than Golden Coral? No, but man they had some good rolls,” Christina Catchings, Sophomore, Pre-Nursing major, said.

Some others were not as surprised at their closing. “Thank God. I’ve never been one for dumpster food.” Gregory Eason, junior, Mechanical Engineering major, said.

http://www.wtoc.com/story/31408559/ryans-restaurant-in-statesboro-closes-suddenly