Italian casual-dining chain Bertucci's has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the third time in seven years, indicating a struggle within the legacy casual-dining sector.

A company statement reported by Restaurant Business mentioned: "For Bertucci’s longstanding and loyal patrons, the Bertucci’s you know, and love is here to stay as well, just with a few less locations for now.”

Bertucci's aims to reorganise the brand by shifting its focus to a new fast-casual format, Bertucci's Pronto, in response to declining consumer demand for traditional casual dining.

The bankruptcy court documents for the Middle District of Florida reveal that Bertucci's holds assets and debts ranging from $10m to $50m.

The Massachusetts-based chain has experienced a significant downturn, with sales dropping by 62% from 2019 to 2024, reducing its footprint from 56 to just 20 locations.

As of now, only 16 East Coast locations are operational.

Owned by Earl Enterprises, Bertucci's was acquired for $20m after its initial bankruptcy filing in 2018.

Despite the acquisition, the chain faced a second bankruptcy in 2022.

The difficulties faced by Bertucci's mirror those of another Earl-owned chain, Buca di Beppo, which also filed for bankruptcy in August 2024.

The sector is witnessing a trend, with nearly half a dozen casual-dining chains filing for bankruptcy during a challenging period marked by inflation and resultant declines in traffic and sales.

Despite these setbacks, Bertucci's is optimistic about its new fast-casual venture, which will offer brick-oven pizza, salads, and sandwiches for both dine-in and takeout.

The first Pronto location opened its doors in Boston's Government Centre area.

Founded in 1981 in Somerville, Massachusetts, Bertucci's is headquartered in Northborough, west of its original location.