Clover Food Lab gets a lifeline
The plant-based chain said it will reopen its doors next week after finalizing a deal to remain open
June 3, 2026
The death of Clover Food Lab has proven instead to be a temporary setback.
The plant-based chain, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has apparently received a lifeline and will reopen its doors on Tuesday.
Clover closed its remaining 11 locations late last month, several weeks after warning that its closure was inevitable. But the company on Wednesday said that it has just finalized a deal to remain in operation and that it will reopen its doors in time for lunch next Tuesday, June 9.
The company said that its reopening next week will focus on its core locations in Cambridge and Boston.
“The level of public support was staggering following last week’s closure announcement,” the company said in a statement over email.
Clover said that its restaurants were “flooded with people” after it announced its closure in a letter sent to customers.
“The sales were staggering,” Clover said. ‘We received hundreds and hundreds of notes from customers.”
Customers apparently took to social media to express their concern and one even came up with an “Ode to Clover” following the announcement.
Details of the company’s deal were not available on Wednesday, but Clover said that the support revealed “several potential paths forward,” leading to a deal with “a mission-aligned investor who was motivated by the strength of the brand” and its menu.
Clover cited inflationary pressures in particular, noting that its ingredient costs have increased 30% to 50% over the past two years. Clover said it is working to implement operational changes to ensure its sustainability.
Cover shut down three years after filing for bankruptcy and two years after it emerged from that process with a vow to expand to 60 locations across New England.
About the Author
Jonathan Maze
Editor in Chief, Restaurant Business
Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants. He writes daily about the factors influencing the operating environment, including labor and food costs and various industry trends such as technology and delivery.
Content Spotlight
The Technomic Top 500: Another tough year for chain restaurants
Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived
Featured
May 28, 2026
May 21, 2026
Recent News
Content Spotlight
Get to know Rick Cardenas, the Darden CEO who started there as a busser
The executive shares his advice, along with his most-binged TV show, favorite sports team, and most-used app
Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
View Original Article →