Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Penguin Point, a Warsaw-based fast-food chain that dates back to 1950, has closed seven northern Indiana locations.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Penguin Point officials did not specify the reason for the closures. They said nine other locations remain open.
The closures were effective immediately and included two locations in Elkhart, as well as restaurants in Plymouth, Fort Wayne, Marion, Goshen, and Warsaw.
“It was a great pleasure to serve these communities and we look forward to seeing many of you at our remaining locations,” the post said. “Our commitment to the Penguin Point team is steadfast, and every member of each store was offered a position at one of our other locations. We want to personally thank the team members who made these locations a welcoming space for families for so many years.”
Penguin Point still has another location open in Elkhart, as well as two in Warsaw, in addition to restaurants in Auburn, Columbia City, North Manchester, South Bend, Syracuse and Wabash.
Penguin Point specializes in burgers, chicken and tenderloins, according to its website. The first restaurant opened as a carhop drive-in in Wabash in 1950.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Wow. Wasn’t even aware these were still at thing….
Fond memories of cruising the Columbia City Penguin Point.
As someone who was born in Wabash and raised in Warsaw, I have many fond memories of Penguin Point. Now? The boob who bought the chain has looked at the opportunity much like if a pilot dies of a heart attack and the CEO of the airlines bullies his way to the cockpit. With that in mind, what’s the first priority? (hint: it’s *not* trying to figure out how to profit from the situation) Can you keep the plane aloft so you don’t find yourself taking a nosedive into the ground? Then, can you land it without killing people on the ground AND people in the plane?
.
If I’d purchased the chain, my philosophy to the C-Suite would have been, “Okay, these people have stayed in business this long because *something* must have been done right along the way. Let’s spend months figuring out two things: 1) what is being done across the company to remain in business; i.e. what’s being done right, everywhere? 2) what is each operation doing which is unique, and succeeds because (or in spite) of that?
.
On Facebook, it was apparent the new owner was clueless. He asked for feedback and he got it, along with a, “We’re listening to you!” His first priority? “How do we make a profit of immediately, then we’ll figure out which things to do from there.” and didn’t change *anything* [back] and took a stance of, “you might be customers, but you’re wrong.” It’s obvious he’s flying the plane into the ground and when it’s done, he’ll declare: “Fickle customers deserve to lose.”
As I recall, their food is good. But they’ve certainly declined, as a chain, over the years. When I was in high school (albeit 40 years ago…), there was a location in Anderson. It was good they offered all of the employees a position at other locations. Too often, a restaurant owner or franchisee will lock the doors and not even bother to notify people ahead of time. Here’s hoping they figure it out.