Corner Bakery Cafe

History

Corner Bakery Cafe is an American fast-casual chain known for pastries, breads, breakfast items, gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta, offering higher-quality food and atmosphere than fast food with limited table service. The chain began as a creation of Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, later sold to Brinker International, then to Il Fornaio (America) Corporation in 2005. Roark Capital Group acquired Il Fornaio in 2011, and in 2020, Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands, LLC, a Rohan Group subsidiary, purchased the cafe.

On February 23, 2023, Corner Bakery Cafe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reporting assets and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million. Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC won a bankruptcy auction to acquire the chain on June 5, 2023. Following the acquisition, the chain saw average annual unit sales rise by roughly $200,000 per location in 2024. A new executive team was appointed to focus on remodeling restaurants, opening new sites, updating marketing, and improving employee training and incentive programs.

As of 2025, plans include remodeling several existing restaurants, opening five to seven new locations, and adding self-service kiosks at most corporate-owned stores. The chain operates 100 locations across 17 states and Washington, D.C., with concentrations in California, Texas, and Illinois.