Boston Market Opens First Location After Bankruptcy Filing
Boston Market opened its first new location in Buffalo, New York.
Boston Market has held a soft opening for its first new location in Buffalo, New York, following the owner’s bankruptcy filing.
Despite its challenges, Boston Market has announced that it will return to the restaurant sector and open a new location in Buffalo, New York, according to Men’s Journal. The once-thriving chicken chain had only 27 locations in March 2024, but the company hopes to develop and rebuild a profitable business.
Per Nation’s Restaurant News, Jay Pandya, the company’s owner, filed for personal bankruptcy in December 2023, citing up to $50 million in debts. This filing came shortly after Pandya tried to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy on behalf of Boston Market twice, but the bankruptcy courts rejected his request.
According to Buffalo Business First, Pandya intends to license the concept to anyone who wishes to open a site in a new effort to resurrect the moniker. Pandya says there is already a lot of interest in licensing the name, and he has gotten hundreds of requests about reopening restaurants across the country.
“He’s licensing the concept to other owners who recognize the potential of the brand because the current business is not set up to accept franchisees,” reported the outlet, which didn’t make clear when the new location would open.
Is the Boston Market Buy-In-Free Franchise Program a Scam?
The new Buffalo, New York, location follows the company’s announcement in 2024 of a buy-in-free “owner-operator profit center program,” which allowed would-be owners to own a franchise without paying any franchise fees.
“The Boston Market name stands for itself and it is well known throughout the country,” Pandya said in a statement to Nation’s Restaurant News at the time. “Now, with everyone’s support we will be able to provide our famous rotisserie chicken and delicious, homemade sides and family meals to everyone. We encourage anyone with a location and a desire to add Boston Market virtually to reach out and partner with us.”
Some former employees claimed that Pandya’s efforts were little more than a less-than-ethical effort to get money.
“At this point, it’s just a way for him to scam someone,” Gina Busby, former area director of operations for Boston Market, said. “He owes millions to employees in unpaid wages, me included. He didn’t report wages earned so people can’t get unemployment. He fraudulently [reported] supervisors as 1099 employees. He hasn’t paid expenses owed. More lawsuits and class actions are coming his way.”
