KFC Just Abruptly Closed Nearly a Dozen Restaurants

Fast food lovers may have to find somewhere else to satisfy their fried chicken cravings. KFC has joined the growing list of restaurant chains that will close locations in 2024.

This week, several local media outlets reported the closure of several KFC restaurants, all located in Illinois.

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Monday, the Peoria Star Journal The fast food chain has closed its five restaurants in the Peoria area. They were located at:

• 1106 Peoria Street, Washington
• 8905 N. Allen Road, Peoria
• 5601 S. Washington St., Bartonville
• 927 W. Jackson Street, Morton
• 3485 E. Court St., Beijing

“We can confirm that some KFC restaurants in the region have closed. The decision to close a restaurant is always difficult, both for the franchisee and the brand. We value the loyalty of our customers,” the chain said in a statement shared with the media.

In addition to the Peoria area, the chain has closed stores in the Rockford area, as reported by Rockford Register Star. These were located at6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

• 1502 Kilburn Avenue, Rockford
• 3035 11th Street, Rockford
• 1586 West Lane Road, Machesney Park
• 1160 N. State St, Belvidere

Other closures occurred in Bloomington, Pontiac and Springfield. The Pontiac restaurant was located at 1831 W. Reynolds St., while the Springfield store was located at 3150 S. Sixth Street.

The chain’s two other Springfield locations, on 9th and Jefferson streets, are still listed as temporarily closed on KFC’s website. Meanwhile, in central Illinois, WMBD-TV reported that the fast food chain has closed about four locations in the Champaign and Decatur areas, including restaurants in Mattoon and Clinton.

KFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the exact number of closures in Illinois.

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KFC’s parent company, Yum Brands, owns other fast food chains, including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill.

KFC is just one of several fast-food chains that have recently closed multiple locations. In June, Pizza Hut abruptly closed 19 locations in Ohio and Indiana. Of those closures, four were in central Ohio and 15 were in northwest Indiana. In July, Pizza Hut franchisee EYM Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Other chains that have recently said goodbye to their restaurants include Buca di Beppo, Hooters and Rubio’s Coastal Grill.

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Brianna Ruback