MENTOR, Ohio — Ruby Tuesday and Max & Erma's — one famously known for their expansive salad bar, and one known for their oven-baked cookies — both chain restaurants were struggling pre-pandemic. But it seems the shutdowns earlier this year sent them over the edge in some locations, with the latest closure in Mentor.

What You Need To Know

  • Famous chain restaurants Ruby Tuesday and Max & Erma's were struggling pre-pandemic, but the pandemic has contributed to some of the recent closings

  • With recent closings in the city of Mentor, the economic director said both the Ruby Tuesday and Max & Erma's chains have been downsizing, forcing them to close many locations throughout the country

  • Only 16 Max & Erma's locations are listed on the brand's website

  • More than 100 Ruby Tuesday locations have closed this year

“Max & Erma’s I used to love, especially the ice cream bar they used to have. And like a lot of the burger specials were just the best,” said Akron resident Bill Stone.

Stone is a comic from Akron. He said the Max & Erma’s near him closed down too, so he always looks forward to going to other locations when traveling for his kid’s soccer games.

“We used to hit them a lot out of town on like soccer events and stuff with the kids, but seeing them close is a real shame,” said Stone.

The economic director for the city of Mentor, Kevin Malecek, said both the Ruby Tuesday and Max & Erma chains have been downsizing, forcing them to close many locations throughout the country.

“Ruby Tuesday in particular has closed over a hundred restaurants at the beginning of the year, even pre-COVID. And I think obviously the pandemic itself, having an effect on restaurants that have salad bar buffet concentrations, you've seen many throughout the country that unfortunately have had to close their operations,” said Malecek.

According to Business Insider, more than 150 Ruby Tuesdays in the nation have permanently shut since the beginning of 2020, and Max & Erma’s has closed several Ohio sites in the past year.

I reached out to the “Better in Mentor” Facebook page to see how people felt about these closings.

I received more than 150 responses. Some from people who loved the locations and others who didn’t — like Mentor resident Nancy Himes.  

“Personally, my husband and I, we don’t visit the chains much. We’ve been to both of them at previous times and it was kind of like one and done, kinda like okay nice, another chain, hamburger chain. Personally, I lean toward non-chains, or maybe a local chain or something like that, so I think they weren’t just distinct enough,” said Himes.

Malecek said both restaurants are in prime locations and that potential new tenants have already expressed interest in buying.

“It's obviously sad if people enjoy the restaurant's food and it's sad for the employees that are there, but we have over 170 restaurants in the city that are still functioning, both chains, independents, regional chains that are out there. There will be other opportunities for jobs for those employees that are there,” said Malecek.

“It’s not going to kill me that it’s gone, but it is one of those establishments that I really enjoy that it’ll be sad to not see, you know. Like I said, I lost one close to me in Akron, and I found other ones to go to whenever I’m out of town, but now that they’re just closing like dominoes, it’s going to be a bummer,” added Stone.