Major Popeyes Franchisee With Over 130 Locations Files For Bankruptcy

January 20, 2026

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A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchisee that operates more than 130 locations filed for bankruptcy to rightsize itself after facing mounting debt.

Sailormen Inc., a Miami-based franchisee that operates locations in Florida and Georgia, filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, according to its legal counsel.

The company, represented by Cole Schotz, is attempting to renegotiate or resolve the $129 million that it owes to lenders so it can emerge as a healthier franchisee.

The company blamed “various macroeconomic factors” for disrupting the business and forcing it to file for bankruptcy protection.

“Those factors include, among others, the national impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on restaurant operations, consumer choice, high inflation, increased borrowing rates and an increasingly limited qualified labor force,” according to the court documents.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. is a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), which acquired the chain in 2017. But the majority of Popeyes locations are owned and operated by franchisees.

FOX Business reached out to Schotz and Restaurant Brands International for comment.

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