Ruby's Diner

Ruby's Diner's October 2018 bankruptcy collapsed a retro 1940s-themed diner chain that had expanded beyond its California base. The company operated 35 locations offering nostalgia-based dining. When casual dining faced pressure from fast-casual competitors and delivery apps, Ruby's couldn't adapt its experience-based model. The company closed locations and restructured, but the niche of theme-based dining proved too narrow for scale.