Restaurant regulars usually notice the signs of trouble well before a location, or even a chain, shuts down.

Before the first On the Border bankruptcy, for example, I noticed half-empty restaurants while customers waited because the location we often visited lacked enough staff. The food quality, portions, and wait times were also inconsistent.

You could see that something was wrong, and when that happens over multiple visits, it’s easy to see it’s a declining situation, not a temporary one like a supplier issue or workers calling in sick.

Beef-a-Roo customers likely saw many of these signs over the past few weeks, and the noise went from subtle to impossible to ignore when the chain abruptly closed its company-owned restaurants on July 2.

That shutdown, which was called temporary by Elysian Capital, the Texas-based real estate investment company that owns Beef-A-Roo, occurred when workers had walked out at several locations after not being paid.

Now, the company has sent layoff notices to its workers and confirmed that the shutdowns are permanent, not temporary.

Beef-A-Roo’s parent sent a layoff notice

Beef-a-Roo officially laid off hundreds of workers across the country on the night of July 7 after closing restaurants in Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas, and Texas, according to the Beloit Daily News.

The shutdown follows legal action taken against Elysian Capital by one of its landlords.

“The lawsuit filed in Greene County Circuit Court lists Beef-A-Roo Inc., Rocinate Equity Inc. (doing business as Elysian Capital Inc.), and Elysian Capital CEO Jeffrey Love as defendants. Beef-A-Roo owes the landlord $63,845.33 in rent and other sums, according to the suit, SGF Citizen reported.

Beef-a-Roo’s closures impact all company-owned stores, but not any franchised locations.

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Beef-a-Roo’s website has also been taken down, TheStreet verified.

A visit to that website, through the internet Wayback Machine, showed what the chain considered its mission.

“Looking for a meal that tastes like home? At Beef-A-Roo, every sandwich, salad, and fry is made fresh to order with premium ingredients and a side of hometown pride. From our signature roast beef sandwiches to our famous loaded fries and hand-crafted burgers and shakes, we’re here to serve up top-quality food that fits your busy day,” the company posted on its former website.

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Beef-a-Roo workers blindsided

Guy Cox, a former general manager of a Beef-a-Roo in Lebanon, Indiana, told WREX he is now searching for another job.

“They should have let us know sooner,” Cox said. “I have a disconnect notice for my lights that’s due tomorrow, and my truck payment is due tomorrow as well. So, I mean, now I’m just trying to rush around and get stuff done,” Cox said.

Employees provided WREX emails appearing to be from Elysian Capital Inc., the venture capital and private equity firm based in Dallas, Texas, that owns more than two dozen Beef-a-Roo locations. The emails stated that “severe financial constraints made it impossible for the company to continue operations.”

It’s unclear how many franchised Beef-a-Roo locations remain open because the company has taken down its website.

The shutdown comes after a failed effort to sell the brand to another, unnamed private equity company.

Attempts to reach Elysian Capital by phone were unsuccessful. Calls to the human resources extension and to Beef-a-Roo’s president also were not answered, according to WREX.

Beef-a-Roo’s management was laid off, too

The layoffs also included the executive who had been handling media inquiries, making it more difficult to obtain comment from the company.

An email from the company, seen by the Rock River Current, detailed the reach of the layoffs.

The email said the layoffs include all members of the leadership team, including Jeremy Wise, the company vice president who had previously been communicating information about Beef-a-Roo to employees and members of the media.

“This decision affects every level of the organization and was made only after all other available options had been exhausted,” the company said in the email. “We recognize the significant impact this decision has on you and your families. We are sincerely grateful for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to the company.”

Workers told WREX that they still have not been fully paid. The company said that will change.

“The company is actively working to secure the funds necessary to meet its remaining payroll obligations,” the email states. “Final paychecks, including any wages owed in accordance with applicable law, will be issued as quickly as possible once funding becomes available.”

Beef-a-Roo restaurants are known for their roast beef sandwiches, cheddar fries, and milkshakes.

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