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Corner Bakery Cafe

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Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC
Corner Bakery Cafe
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
Bakery café Franchising
Founded1991; 34 years ago (1991) in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Headquarters
Dallas, Texas
,
United States
Number of locations
100
ProductsBreakfast, Pastries, Breads, Gourmet Sandwiches, Soups, Salads, Pastas
OwnerBest Cafe Enterprises, LLC
Number of employees
5,100 (2024)
Websitewww.cornerbakerycafe.com

Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Corner Bakery Cafe is an American chain of cafes that specialize in pastries, breads, breakfast dishes, gourmet sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, and pasta. Corner Bakery Cafe is considered to be a part of the fast casual market segment of the food service industry, offering a higher quality of food and atmosphere than a typical fast food restaurant, and offering limited table service.

History

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Corner Bakery Cafe was founded by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a Chicago-based restaurant group.[1] It was sold to Brinker International, and then in 2005 to Il Fornaio (America) Corporation.[citation needed] Roark Capital Group bought Il Fornaio in 2011.[2] In 2020, the Corner Bakery Cafe was purchased by Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of the Rohan Group of Companies.[3]

On February 23, 2023, Corner Bakery Cafe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing assets and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million. [4] A few months later on June 5, Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC, won a bankruptcy auction bid to acquire Corner Bakery Cafe.[5]

In 2024, Corner Bakery Cafe reported a significant increase in average annual unit sales, with an approximate growth of $200,000 per location following its acquisition by Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC. In an effort to expand and revitalize the brand, the company has appointed a new team of executives focused on initiatives such as restaurant remodeling, the opening of new locations, and the implementation of updated marketing strategies, employee training programs, and recognition and incentive systems. As of 2025, Corner Bakery Cafe plans to remodel several existing restaurants, open between five and seven new locations, and introduce self-service kiosks at the majority of its corporate-owned establishments.[6]

The cafe has 100 locations across 17 States (and D.C.),[7] with large numbers in California, Texas, and Illinois.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Reams, Joey (May 10, 2022). "Corner Bakery Cafe Opening New Location in Wheaton Mid-June | What Now Chicago". whatnowchicago.com/. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  2. ^ "Atlanta's Roark Capital buys Il Fornaio parent firm". San Francisco Chronicle. 2011-06-14.
  3. ^ "Pandya purchases Corner Bakery Cafe | 2020-10-30 | Food Business News". www.foodbusinessnews.net. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  4. ^ Wolf, Alex (February 23, 2023). "Corner Bakery restaurant chain files for bankruptcy in Delaware". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Maze, Jonathan (June 2, 2023). "An Applebee's franchisee is buying Corner Bakery for $15M". Restaurant Business Online. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  6. ^ Maze, Jonathan (February 14, 2024). "Corner Bakery moves forward under its new owner". Restaurant Business Online. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Locations". Corner Bakery Cafe. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
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