Hard Rock Café Leaves Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk will lose one of its cornerstone restaurants early next year when the Hard Rock Café closes its doors for good. A notice sent by parent company Hard Rock International Inc. on Nov. 8 to the California Employment Development Department indicates its last day of operations will be Jan. 7, 2020. All 136 of the restaurant’s employees will lose their jobs. Affected positions include dozens of servers, hostesses and line cooks, nine retail associates, six bussers and a few supervisors and managers. CityWalk has not confirmed what will replace the Hard Rock Café, but a report from Inside Universal rumors the vacancy will be filled with a Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, a 19th-century Steampunk-themed full-service restaurant. One opened in CityWalk Orlando in 2016. The Universal CityWalk is located at the entrance to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in Universal City.