KFC Just Abruptly Shuttered Nearly a Dozen Restaurants—Here's Where
Fast-food fans may need to find another spot to satisfy their fried chicken cravings. KFC has joined the growing list of restaurant chains closing locations in 2024.
This week, multiple local news outlets reported the closure of multiple KFC restaurants, all of which were in Illinois.
On Monday, the Peoria Journal Star reported that the fast-food chain has closed all five of its restaurants in the Peoria area. These were located at:
- 1106 Peoria St., Washington
- 8905 N. Allen Road, Peoria
- 5601 S. Washington St., Bartonville
- 927 W. Jackson St., Morton
- 3485 E. Court St., Pekin
"We can confirm that some KFC locations in the area have closed. The decision to close a restaurant is always difficult for both the franchisee and the brand. We appreciate the patronage of our loyal guests," the chain said in a statement shared with the news outlet.
In addition to the Peoria area, the chain shuttered locations in the Rockford area, as reported by the Rockford Register Star. These were located at
- 1502 Kilburn Ave., Rockford
- 3035 11th St., Rockford
- 1586 West Lane Road, Machesney Park
- 1160 N. State St, Belvidere
Other closures included one in Bloomington, Pontiac, and Springfield. The Pontiac restaurant was located at 1831 W. Reynolds St., while the Springfield store was located at 3150 S. Sixth Street.
The chain's two other Springfield locations on 9th Street and Jefferson Street are still listed as temporarily closed on KFC's website. Meanwhile, in Central Illinois, WMBD-TV reported that the fast-food chain shut down about four locations in the Champaign and Decatur areas, including restaurants in Mattoon and Clinton.
KFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the exact number of closures in Illinois.
KFC's parent company Yum Brands owns other fast-food chains, including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill.
KFC is just one of many fast-food chains to recently shut the doors of multiple locations. In June, Pizza Hut abruptly closed 19 locations in Ohio and Indiana. Of these closures, four were in Central Ohio, while 15 were in Northwest Indiana. In July, Pizza Hut franchisee EYM Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Other chains that have recently said goodbye to restaurant locations include Buca di Beppo, Hooters, and Rubio's Coastal Grill.
Sign up for our newsletter!
