WILKES-BARRE -- Two restaurants in Wilkes-Barre will soon be closing and another one just shut down within the past week.
Maer's Barbeque on South Main Street, just off Public Square, is no longer open for business. The restaurant has been part of the downtown dining scene for the past three years.
And on Kidder Street, Pizza Hut and Lone Star are located across from each other and both are scheduled to close on Saturday.
"Oh, we're surprised because we just came for lunch today. We didn't know anything about it," said Pam Partika, who came to eat at Lone Star.
While both chains have been struggling and more and more of the chains' restaurants have been closing nationally, patrons like George Lepley believe older restaurants sometimes are at a disadvantage in this area.
"It's an older chain and I think as a restaurant's been around for 20-30 years, I think people just start looking for another place to go," Lepley said.
The owner of this Pizza Hut said there are too many slices of the pie to split in this area. Newer restaurants have been made it too hard to compete.
Lone Star hasn't given an official reason for closing the Wilkes-Barre restaurant.
"One thing hopefully everyone will learn is lock up a good job, have a good employer. Look for the stability part rather than the money. It`s not about the money if you don`t have a place to work anymore," said Nathan Bowden.
Bowden's girlfriend is nine months pregnant and a server at Lone Star.
"Ashley`s a prime example of somebody who`s been dedicated, her working at Lone Star for four years and then right in a flash they say well you can`t work here anymore. Even though you were so dedicated to her job," Bowden said.
Newswatch 16 has learned from officials with Texas Roadhouse that one of their restaurants will be built where Lone Star currently stands in Wilkes-Barre.
