
These 5 National Restaurant Chains in Maine Never Stood a Chance
When a well-known national chain announces they are coming to Maine, social media is all abuzz with opinions, speculation, delight, or hatred.
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They arrive to much fanfare, making a big splash and getting everyone's attention one way or another. Some of these franchises become very successful here in the Pine Tree state. We're looking at you Texas Roadhouse. Others, however, not so much.
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Failure can occur for any number of reasons. Mainers are a very opinionated bunch. We like what we like and may not be open to some of these businesses. Sometimes, businesses that we Mainers love very much aren't successful at all, and that's usually a failure on the company's part.
Love or hate them, national chains try to survive in Maine but fail. Here are five chains that opened franchises in Maine but didn't stand a chance.
1. Red Lobster
Red Lobster had locations in South Portland and Auburn and there's no way you're going to survive when fresh Maine lobster is sold all over the state and not shipped in from across the country.
2. Tim Horton's
Tim Horton's crossed the border into Maine from Canada to set up shop and ran full speed into Dunkin' Land. What's that slogan? Oh yeah, "America Runs on Dunkin." If you head north in Maine though, you'll start to see them pop up the closer you get to the border.
3. Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme had locations in Auburn and Saco and they didn't even last a year. The owner of both locations closed them in 2020, after going head to head with Dunkin' and losing.
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4. Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese has over 600 locations across the country and one opened at the Maine Mall in 2002 where Ulta is today. Of all the franchises on this list, Chuck E. Cheese lasted the longest but closed in 2012 after the lease expired and the mouse couldn't reach a new agreement with the Maine Mall.
5. Quizno's
Quzinos Subs moved into Maine in the 2000s opening 15 stores in the Portland and Bangor areas, but the company started to have financial trouble. Then it all started to go downhill. The franchisees couldn't break even and people who invested money and their livelihoods in Quiznos franchises in Maine were filing for bankruptcy. The company as a whole filed for bankruptcy as well in 2014.
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