The pizza dining sector has faced headwinds that have impacted the fast-food industry, as rising prices, driven by inflation, reduce consumer demand and discourage diners from eating out.
Struggling locations have forced Pizza Hut‘s parent Yum Brands to shutter 250 underperforming restaurants as part of its Hut Forward plan in the first half of 2026, and Papa John’s, announced in its fourth-quarter earnings call that it will close 200 locations by the end of 2026.
And now legendary Chicago-style deep-dish pizza chain Giordano’s has unexpectedly closed several locations over the last year and a half, most recently its last Ohio location.
Giordano’s closes last Ohio location
The Chicago-based pizza chain, which was established in 1974, abruptly closed its location at 2137 Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Ohio, the last location in Ohio, on June 8, 2026, about four months after closing another location in Beavercreek, Ohio, on Feb. 2.
Giordano’s has removed the Polaris Parkway location’s page from its website and the restaurant’s signage has been removed from the building, according to WCMH-TV 4 of Columbus. The restaurant had reportedly opened in 2017.
The Giordano’s Columbus restaurant is listed as permanently closed on Google Maps and Yelp. The company has not stated a reason for closing the restaurant.
Giordano’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Beavercreek store closed months before
Giordano’s also closed its location at 2819 Centre Drive, Suite A, in Beavercreek, Ohio, by Feb. 1, as the location was reported vacated by WHIO-TV 7 of Dayton, Ohio.
The Beavercreek Giordano’s had a paper sign on its front door on Feb. 2 with the message: “Thank you for your support throughout the years. We’ve enjoyed being part of the community.”
Giordano’s did not give a reason for closing the Beavercreek location, and all signage at the restaurant had been removed by the end of the day on Feb. 2, WHIO reported.
Employee unaware of closing
A person identified as an employee of the former Beavercreek Giordano’s told WHIO that he showed up for his scheduled work shift on Feb. 2 to discover the restaurant had shut down without notifying him.
The Giordano’s Beavercreek restaurant is also listed as permanently closed on Google Maps.
Giordano’s closed its Evanston, Ill., location at 1527 Chicago Ave. in January 2025 with a posted sign that read: “We’re Relocating! After many years at this site, we have decided it is time to relocate to a new location within the community. While we search for our new space, please visit our nearby locations,” according to The Daily Northwestern.
The sign listed Giordano’s Glenview, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, and Rogers Park locations as options.
Evanston location has not been replaced
Giordano’s opened the Chicago Avenue Evanston location in 2011, but it has not yet opened a replacement location in Evanston. The restaurant chain‘s locator on its website does not list an Evanston location.
The pizza chain operates both franchises and company owned locations. Franchisee experts say that rising costs, including employee wages, are impacting menu prices and discouraging consumers from eating out.
“High-wage states/markets are amongst the hardest in the restaurant industry,” Michael J. Ingram, vice president and principal at National Franchise Sales told TheStreet’s Kirk O’Neil in an email.
“Franchisees can only raise their menu prices so far to make up for higher expenses, but as they lose customers, it becomes an uphill battle to cover debt they already have in place along with overall higher expenses,” Ingram said.
The 52-year-old pizza chain operates 54 locations in seven states and Washington, D.C., and plans to add a second location in Minnesota at the Mall of America in Bloomington though the opening date has not been determined. The Mall of America’s directory webpage lists the Giordano’s as “opening soon” near Macy’s. The chain currently operates a location in Richfield, Minn.
Giordano’s has won several awards, as it has been named Chicago’s best pizza by several media outlets, including NBC, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Home & Garden Magazine, according to its website.
Giordano’s closed locations:
- 2137 Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Ohio, June 8, 2026. Source: WCMH-TV.
- 2819 Centre Drive, Suite A, in Beavercreek, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2026. Source: WHIO-TV.
- 1527 Chicago Ave., Evanston, Ill, January 2025. Source: The Daily Northwestern.
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