From the Asheville Citizen-Times: "Cheeseburger in Paradise closes"

<em>Cheeseburger in Paradise, the casual restaurant that opened two years ago with a performance by singer Jimmy Buffett, has closed.

"The closure is a prudent business decision for us at this time, but we would like to serve our loyal Asheville customers again at some point in the future," Matt Wissman, joint venture partner of Cheeseburger in Paradise in the North Carolina area, said in a press release.

The restaurant, just off Tunnel Road in east Asheville, opened in January 2005, with a benefit performance by Buffett, who wrote and sang the hit song the restaurant was named for. That event raised $96,000 for Eblen Charities.</em>

Yup..the beginning of the end, I'm afraid.

Auntie,
Are you thinking the Fred'burg place is circling the drain?
The one in Pasadena MD (between Baltimore and Annapolis) seems to be doing OK.

Last time I was there, it was definitely not up to par service wise. But I was actually referring to the talk I've heard here on the boards about the chain not expanding as quickly as they had planned to (just ask Captain P )..."looking at it from a business perspective" I guess. Aaargh.

the one here stays fairly busy until about 10 pm even if there is a band. the couple of times they had a JB cover band, they did well. I've seen un-Buffett music there more. business was not so good on those nights....

The local news called and asked my opinion of the closing. Unfortunately I was unable to reach anyone. Our Parrothead Club (Western North Carolina) met at CIP last year from March-December when they suddenly removed live music. My step-son had worked there since August 2005 and was informed of the closing by cell phone on Sunday. I hope it is not the beginning of the end but who knows. I will always remember seeing Jimmy at the opening in January 2005. Great times.

Sail on CIP Asheville and (((()))) to the displaced employees.

My family and I ate there a few weeks ago. We go 3-4 times a year for dinner after we visit Biltmore. We have always enjoyed it. I think the location is not the best though, which probably affected the traffic it received.

pH

Perhaps that's why he doesnt play many shows out in North Carolina, eh? Probabaly just a bunch of hip-hop crowds and too few who can appreciate the music . . . .

Hip-Hop crowds in Western NC? I don't think so...

The CIP in Omaha was so great when it opened. Great food, fantastic atmosphere, live music (even if a solo performer), snappy service, cheerful servers. We always go at least once a month.

However, the last few months we see employees standing around talking while we sit with no drinks, our food order comes out wrong or takes a really long time. No music on weekend afternoons a lot of times.

I have pondered writing them a letter, but I'm not sure what I would say.

brilliant observation....

A total of 5 CiPs were shut down without notice on Sunday. The York, PA location was one of them.
John

No kidding! What were the other three, I wonder?

thanks to the schitty new management that caused Hockeyparrothead to leave also!

good bye CIP and good riddance since you are too stupid to listen to your customer base

I tried twice to find it and never could. Their location selection has sucked for the past few restaurants they put up

Service has dropped off in the industry period. I don't know if it's the younger kids or what, but that is a pandemic throughout the industry, as a road warrior, I eat on the road Mon-Thurs, and it's terrible. Manager force people out early, and they're all focused on their sidework, which last I knew didn't tip!

Huh?

Actually up until last year, Jimmy played a minimum of two show in the NC alone...three if he played SC....in prior years he has played as many as 3 shows in NC (Greensboro, Raleigh, Charlotte)

Trust me...North Carolinians are FAR from a hip hop crowd...and many appreciate Buffett's music here....

My mom said the CiP in Lansing MI closed recently. I remember that the company that owns the Outback wanted to get rid of this chain but no buyers I guess? I love eating there, just sort of expensive. I will miss the sweet potato chips. I am drooling right now just thinking about them. Maybe JB should buy it back? Or maybe that was why he sold his portion a few years back? Maybe he saw the beginning of the end too?

Two problems with CIP, one particular to them and one more generally associated with the business in general.

1) The company that owns CIP also owns Outback as well as, I believe, a couple of other concepts. they have been having problems for a long time, dating back till just about when they bought CIP, and they have been trying to spin off some of it's lines to outside buyers with no success. This, unfortunately, is going to become more prevalent in the industry over the next 12-18 months I believe as the recession tightens disposable income and companies realize they were over ambitious in their expansions. Watch any commercial for Applebee's, Friday's, Ruby Tuesday's or any other national casual chain, and you will see them all offering three course meals for ridiculous prices ($10-12) They're not making money on that, certainly not the percentage the company expects to make per customer, but they are doing whatever they can to keep people coming through the doors and hoping that they spend more.

2) It is down right impossible to find the level of professionalism to fully staff a restaurant. Trust me, I've been spending the last three months trying to do just that. I have been lucky and have hired two servers and a bartender who are all career restaurant people, and the difference is noticeable. I'm lucky enough that the location I run is small enough that I only need one or two servers on a shift, so that there is always a strong server on, but I also got people who can't even bother getting to work on time, bartenders who after 4 months still don't know our specialty drinks, etc. It's a different world from when i started in the business. Now it's all part-timers who think and act as if taking their job seriously is beneath them.

Yep.

"...it no longer fits the strategic plans for the Cheeseburger in Paradise brand"