Fast-Casual Chain With Reading Location Files For Bankruptcy

READING, MA — A fast-casual chain that offers pizza, burgers, and wings has filed for bankruptcy. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza has three locations in Massachusetts in Reading, Littleton, and Westwood.

The chain's parent company, BurgerFi International Inc., announced it is filing for bankruptcy earlier this week "in order to preserve the value of its brands for all stakeholders," according to a statement.

The company, which also includes the BurgerFi brand, has 144 locations in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, which will continue normal operations. The bankruptcy filing only includes the 67 corporate-owned establishments, not those owned by franchisees.

The company said declaring bankruptcy is result of a "drastic decline in post-pandemic consumer spending amidst sustained inflation and increasing food and labor costs," according to the statement.

Last year, the company embarked on a plan to “address foundational issues including declining same store sales, high employee turnover and a stale menu." Since then, the company has closed 19 "underperforming" stores.

The Reading location is at 48 Walkers Brook Drive. The restaurant is open weekdays and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.