Noodles & Company is closing 30 more restaurants: List of doomed locations grows in 2026

Noodles & Company is set to close additional restaurants. In a January 12 press release, Noodles & Company announced plans to close between 30 and 35 restaurants in 2026, with the aim of improving financial health and profitability.

As of December 30, 2025, the fast-casual noodle chain had 340 company-owned restaurants and 83 franchise restaurants. The eatery already reduced its footprint last year, when it closed 42 restaurants (33 were company-owned, and nine were franchise locations).

“Decisions like this are made thoughtfully and with a long-term view of the business,” Joe Christina, CEO and president of Noodles & Company, shared in the company press release. “Our fourth quarter results reinforce that when we concentrate our resources on restaurants with the strongest opportunity to perform, Noodles can drive meaningful top-line growth. That performance gives us added confidence as we continue to refine our portfolio in 2026.”

“These actions are intended to strengthen the overall health of the brand and our financial position, helping to ensure we are well-positioned for profitable growth and long-term value creation for our shareholders,” Christina continued.

Retail and restaurant closures are becoming more common 

Noodles & Company isn’t the only company announcing closures. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more common. 

Last week, the fast-casual salad and wrap chain Salad & Go confirmed it would close 32 locations by January 11. The company shuttered 25 stores in Texas and seven in Oklahoma. As a result, Salad & Go no longer operates restaurants in either state.

Macy’s has also continued to reduce its footprint. The department store announced it would close 150 “underproductive” stores by the end of January 2027. In a January 9 news release, Macy’s confirmed a list of 66 locations set to close, two of which have already closed.  

Video game retailer GameStop also plans to shutter more stores early this year. The company has not yet announced how many stores it will close in 2026. But in recent days, customers have taken to social media to share store closure signs. In its third-quarter earnings report on December 9, GameStop shared that it had closed 590 stores in the U.S. in the previous fiscal year. 

And after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2025, American Signature is set to permanently close all Value City Furniture and American Signature Furniture stores. 

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