Ruby Tuesday to close 95 restaurants

Ruby Tuesday will close 95 underperforming restaurants by September in an effort to streamline the organization and improve profits, according to a press release. The Maryville, Tenn.-based company did not provide a list of restaurants slated to close.

There are 724 Ruby Tuesday restaurants, 646 of them company operated, according to the release. Three Ruby Tuesday restaurants operate in the Middle Georgia area — in Warner Robins, Dublin and Milledgeville — according to the company's website.

James “JJ” Buettgen, president and chief executive officer, cited a softness in the casual dining industry for the closures and plans to revamp the menu in the coming months.

“The decision to close restaurants is a difficult but necessary step as we take aggressive actions to strengthen our organization,” Buettgen said in the release Friday. “Performance at each of these locations, despite the loyalty of valued guests and the efforts of our dedicated employees, was not meeting expectations. Full-time and part-time employees impacted by closures will be offered positions in nearby restaurants where possible.”

The company reported it fourth-quarter revenue for the period ending May 31, was down 5.9 percent.

This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Ruby Tuesday to close 95 restaurants."