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Sweet Tomatoes is closing permanently, reports say

Florida's first Sweet Tomatoes store opened in Palm Harbor in 1990.

TAMPA, Fla. — Sweet Tomatoes, also known as Souplantation across the nation, is permanently shutting its doors, according to the San Diego Tribune.

The newspaper reported Thursday the self-serve style food joint will shut down all of its 97 restaurants, including the ones across the Tampa Bay area.

The Tribune says the closure means the loss of 4,400 jobs. 

“The FDA had previously put out recommendations that included discontinuing self-serve stations, like self-serve beverages in fast food, but they specifically talked about salad bars and buffets,” said John Haywood, CEO of Garden Fresh. “The regulations are understandable, but unfortunately, it makes it very difficult to reopen. And I’m not sure the health departments are ever going to allow it.

“We could’ve overcome any other obstacle, and we’ve worked for eight weeks to overcome these intermittent financial challenges but it doesn’t work if we are not allowed to continue our model.”

The buffet-style restaurants first shut down during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic after trying to pivot to take out and delivery, WKMG reported.

Florida's first Sweet Tomatoes store opened in Palm Harbor in 1990, according to WKMG.

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