Economic headwinds have led some fried chicken fast-food restaurant franchisees to file for bankruptcy protection and close locations, despite the sector's popularity. Major Popeyes franchisee, Sailormen Inc., has filed a motion to reject the unexpired leases of three more closed dining locations after already filing to reject 17 closed locations in Georgia and Florida. The company believes that closing these 20 unprofitable locations will reduce its selling, general, and administrative expenses by over $1 million annually. The number of layoffs was not disclosed. Sailorme filed for Chapter 11 protection on Jan. 15, 2026, and faced significant challenges over the last year, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its restaurant operations, consumer preferences, high inflation, rising interest rates, and a limited qualified labor force.