Driven down by higher costs and other market pressures, Little Rock-based Dixie Cafe said Monday it is closing its 14 Arkansas restaurants and three in Oklahoma.
The Dixie brand grew out of the closing in Arkansas of Texas-based Black-Eyed Pea Inc. and focused on serving country-style meals with a meat entree and two or three sides.
"After over 35 years in business we have decided that we must close our restaurants," Dixie Cafe's Allan Roberts said in a statement Monday. "It's a very difficult operating environment for full-service, family-oriented restaurants. We have seen declining sales combined with increasing costs that has made this difficult decision necessary."
Wednesday will be the last day of service at the restaurants, the statement said.
The company operated 14 Arkansas and Tennessee restaurants under the Dixie Cafe brand and three in Oklahoma called Delta Cafe.
-- Stephen Steed