Smokey Bones Shuts Down in Millcreek After Two Decades

A well-known restaurant in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania, finally closed its doors after serving the community for over twenty years. The restaurant, located near Millcreek Mall on Interchange Road, left a simple but clear message for customers: "WE ARE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. " The shutdown comes after financial struggles led the parent company, FAT Brands, to file for bankruptcy earlier this year to manage its debts. Reports came in the same day about other Smokey Bones locations closing in parts of Pennsylvania and New York, raising questions about the chain’s future.Smokey Bones started in Orlando, Florida, in 1999 under Darden Restaurants and once expanded to over 120 locations. By 2025, FAT Brands separated Twin Hospitality Group, which now runs both Twin Peaks and Smokey Bones. Twin Peaks, known for its lodge-style sports bars and its famous "Twin Peaks Girls, " has started converting some Smokey Bones locations into its own brand. The company has mentioned focusing on 19 spots for this change, but it hasn’t shared plans for this specific building in Millcreek yet. Rumors and comparisons to Hooters have followed Twin Peaks over the years. Both chains rely on a similar concept of serving food in a sports bar setting with waitstaff who become part of the brand’s identity. Whether Millcreek will get a Twin Peaks in the future remains uncertain, as no official announcement has been made.