Rick Newman of U.S. News & World Report considers a group of mid-priced casual dining chains he sees as vulnerable in the economic downturn. To Newman, “vulnerable” doesn’t equate bankruptcy or closure; he’s talking about downgraded credit ratings and other negative financial factors.

Topping his list? Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. The 51-year-old chain operates nearly 50 locations in and around the Twin Cities. The company’s Marie Callender’s Restaurant and Bakery division made Newman’s list as well, which also includes Sbarro and Krispy Kreme. No surprise on that last one for local carbs lovers; the doughnut chain closed its last Twin Cities outlet in 2008 after a rapid expansion that began six years earlier.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 5:31 pm and is filed under Restaurant news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.