The famous pizza chain is closing its branches: It had filed for bankruptcy three times...

Bertucci's was also added to the wave of branch closures that will continue throughout 2026 in the pizza restaurants industry in the USA.

The Boston-based chain closed its restaurant in Springfield, Virginia, at the end of September. Thus, the company's total number of restaurants in Massachusetts, Delaware and Pennsylvania dropped to 11.

The number of restaurants operating on Bertucci's official website is listed as 11.

IT REACHED MORE THAN 100 BRANCHES

Founded in 1981, Bertucci's entered a period of rapid growth, especially in Massachusetts in the 1980s.

While the company opened its second and third restaurants in 1985, the number of branches increased to 14 by 1989.

In the following years, Bertucci's expanded from New Hampshire to Florida and west to Illinois, reaching more than 100 restaurants at one time.

MORE THAN 40 BRANCHES WERE CLOSED BEFORE THE FIRST BANKRUPTCY

The company's growth trajectory then reversed.

Bertucci's closed more than 40 of its restaurants before first filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2018.

At the time of the initial bankruptcy filing, 59 of the chain's restaurants were operating.

According to TheStreet, when Bertucci's applied for bankruptcy protection for the second time in December 2022, the number of restaurants decreased to 31. The company closed 15 more restaurants during this period.

HE FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY FOR THE THIRD TIME

Bertucci's filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 for the third time on April 24, 2025.

The company cited the shift in consumer demand away from the traditional restaurant model as one of the reasons for the financial difficulties.

Just one day before filing for bankruptcy, Bertucci's launched its new "Pronto" concept on Tremont Street in Boston.

THE NEW CONCEPT COULD NOT STOP SHRINKING

With the Pronto concept designed in fast-casual format, the company aimed to create a faster service model suitable for busy city life.

The company's traditional brick ovens continued to be used in the model, where customers can place their orders at the counter or online and take their meals with them.

In addition to pizzas, Bertucci's menu includes Tuscan-style chicken wings, soups and freshly prepared focaccia sandwiches.

However, the new concept was not enough to stop the company's general shrinkage trend.

PIZZA HUT AND PAPA JOHN'S ARE ALSO CLOSING BRANCHES

Bertucci's downsizing is considered part of a broader wave of closures in the U.S. pizza industry.

Yum Brands, the owner of Pizza Hut, announced that 250 underperforming restaurants would be closed in the first half of 2026 as part of the "Hut Forward" plan.

Papa John's also decided to close 200 restaurants by the end of 2026.

CEC Entertainment Concepts LP, owner of Chuck E. Cheese, has closed 6 restaurants so far in 2026.

The company stated that while it did not renew the lease agreements of some restaurants, the closures were carried out within the scope of "property portfolio management".

CEC Entertainment Spokesperson Allison Chouinard stated that the real estate strategy has been reshaped in line with the expiration of lease agreements, changing market conditions and the transformation in consumer preferences.

Alejandra Brady, one of the company executives, argued that the closures should not be considered as an indicator of financial or operational distress.