Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Corner Bakery Cafe is an American chain of
cafe
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargil ...
s 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
Fast food is a type of Mass production, mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. ''Fast food'' is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheat ...
restaurant, and offering limited
table service
The foodservice (US English) or catering (British and Commonwealth English) Industry (economics), industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, grocery stores, school ...
.
History
Corner Bakery Cafe was founded by
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. (LEYE) is a restaurant group currently comprising 120 or more restaurants mainly located in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was founded by Rich Melman and Jerry A. Orzoff in 1971.
History
The first res ...
, a Chicago-based restaurant group. It was sold to
Brinker International, and then in 2005 to
Il Fornaio (America) Corporation.
Roark Capital Group bought Il Fornaio in 2011. In 2020, the Corner Bakery Cafe was purchased by Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of the Rohan Group of Companies.
On February 23, 2023, Corner Bakery Cafe filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...
, listing assets and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million. On June 5, 2023, Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC, won a bankruptcy auction bid to acquire Corner Bakery Cafe.
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.
The cafe has 100 locations across 17 States (and D.C.),
with large numbers in California, Texas, and Illinois.
See also
*
List of bakery cafés
*
List of restaurants in Dallas
References
External links
Corner Bakery Cafe
Restaurants established in 1991
Bakery cafés
Restaurant chains in the United States
Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Fast casual restaurants
Fast-food franchises
Restaurants in Dallas
Private equity portfolio companies
Bakeries of the United States
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023
1991 establishments in Illinois
American companies established in 1991
Coffeehouses and cafés in the United States
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