Cheeseburger in Paradise has closed its Perimeter Place location but if you take their pre-recorded answering machine seriously, they are remodeling and will reopen later this year.
Personally I'm not holding my breath, and have the distinct impression that they are closed for good. The fact that the Perimeter location has been removed from their website would seem to support my thinking.
Personally I'm not holding my breath, and have the distinct impression that they are closed for good. The fact that the Perimeter location has been removed from their website would seem to support my thinking.
Cheeseburger in Paradise gets its name from the Jimmy Buffet song by the same name that was included on the singer's 1978 album, Son of a Son of a Sailor. Buffet's Margaritaville Holdings LLC licensed the Cheeseburger In Paradise name to Tampa, Florida-based OSI Restaurant Partners in 2002 for the Bufffet themed eatery.
Cheeseburger in Paradise, along with then fellow OSI concepts Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar opened in the Sembler-developed shopping center in 2006.
The restaurant was a tropically-themed casual dining concept, similar in some ways to Bahama Breeze from Orlando-based Darden Restaurants. I think the association with Jimmy Buffet helped the concept early on, but now celebrating its 10th anniversary, and still serving just average food in a gimmicky atmosphere, perhaps a menu revamp is in order to avoid additional closures.
Bain Capital, yes, that Bain Capital, the one that Mitt Romney co-founded, purchased OSI in 2007, and in 2009 completed its sale of the Cheeseburger in Paradise chain to an investment group led by Steve Overholt, then President of the brand. Last month, OSI became a publicly traded company now known as Bloomin' Brands (NYSE: BLMN) in which Bain Capital maintains a significant stake.
Cheeseburger in Paradise has reduced its store count from 38 locations in 17 states in 2006, to 26 locations in 15 states today. The Perimeter location was the chain's only Georgia location.
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