Black Angus Scales Down Operations in Pandemic

Black Angus Steakhouse has temporarily shuttered more than half its restaurants across the Western U.S. due to the coronavirus and resulting business restrictions.The Sherman Oaks-based chain now has 15 restaurants operating in California, Arizona, Washington and Hawaii. The company owns a total of 35 locations in five states.California closures include restaurants in Burbank, Ventura, Bakersfield, Dublin, Vallejo, Monrovia, Montclair, Whittier, Lakewood, Ontario, Buena Park, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, Temecula, Escondido, El Cajon and Chula Vista.Locations in Northridge and Lancaster are still open for takeout and delivery.In an email to the Business Journal, a representative from Black Angus cited “the challenges of operating during the pandemic and recent shelter-in-place mandates across some states,” as reasons for the closures.“Our intention is to reopen all locations in a safe manner, with timing dependent on guidelines provided by local governments and the CDC,” the email added.Black Angus has already closed several locations permanently amid the pandemic, including in Milpitas, Phoenix and Lakewood, Wash.