Zaxby's restaurants close in Cape and Sikeston

This story is updated with information Monday from Zaxby's franchisee.

Zaxby's locations in Cape Girardeau and Sikeston have closed, said a spokesman for Manwell Food Company of Valdosta, Georgia.

Both eateries — at 407 Cape West Crossing in Cape and 1057 S. Main Street in Sikeston — were listed over the weekend as “temporarily closed” on Zaxby’s website.

Manwell, the franchisee for the fast-food locations, removed the word “temporary” in an official statement Monday.

“We have made the difficult decision to close the doors,” said a Manwell spokesman.

“The closures are not related to COVID-19 health or safety issues. We are minimizing the impact on team members affected by offering employment opportunities at other Zaxby locations.”

Manwell also operates Zaxby’s in Paducah, Kentucky, and in Union City and Martin, Tennessee. The fate of those venues is unknown at press time.

The Zaxby's in Cape closed temporarily in March with Manwell, at the time, citing a lack of work ethic and service skills for the food and beverage industry.

Some quit their jobs after receiving COVID-19 stimulus payments, said Chris Manwell, Manwell's CEO, according to a March 26 story in the Southeast Missourian.

“We are thankful for our employees and customers who have supported our business especially during this difficult time,” the statement continued.

The 3,800-square-foot Cape Zaxby’s opened June 11, 2018, two months after the Sikeston location.

Looking for more business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Go to www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.