Tampa Bay Bonefish Grill Locations Spared

TAMPA, FL — Bonefish Grill lovers in the Tampa Bay area can breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company of the Tampa-based chain, announced Friday that local stores are not part of an announced 14-location closing.

“None of the Tampa Bay restaurants will be impacted,” Elizabeth Watts, spokeswoman for Bloomin’ Brands, told Patch on Friday. That includes all locations from Hernando County in the north to Sarasota County in the south.

Bloomin’ Brands announced on Wednesday its plans to close 14 locations as part of a restructuring move. 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.

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

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