Popular Mexican restaurant chain abruptly closes 2 Sacramento-area locations. Here’s why

A popular Mexican restaurant chain known for its fish tacos abruptly closed two Sacramento-area locations.

Rubio’s Coastal Grill closed at 4359 Town Center Blvd. in El Dorado Hills on May 23, according to Dawn Bricker, El Dorado Hills Town Center property manager.

“There was no communication from Rubio’s prior to closing,” Bricker wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee on Wednesday. “We will be pursing Rubio’s in civil court for damages and breech of lease.”

Rubio’s at 2776 East Bidwell St. in Folsom has also closed, according to Yelp reviewers.

The Sacramento Bee reached out to Rubio’s representatives for comment, but a spokesman only spoke about the the Folsom closure.

“Rubio’s Folsom location closed last week (as) the result of a decline in customer traffic in those neighborhoods combined with the recently enacted wage increases,” a Rubio’s spokesman wrote in an email to The Bee on Wednesday.

“Together, these factors resulted in the store no longer being financially sustainable,” the spokesman said.

What is Rubio’s Coastal Grill?

Ralph Rubio opened his first taco stand in San Diego in 1983.

Since then Rubio’s has been serving Baja Mexico-inspired food to its patrons.

The menu includes fish tacos, burritos, bowls and salads.

Mexican restaurant chain closes Fresno locations

Rubio’s also recently closed its two locations in Fresno, The Fresno Bee reported.

Employees at Rubio’s River Park location told The Bee that the restaurant was closing due to California’s new law mandating a minimum wage of $20 an hour at fast food restaurants.

However, those claims were not confirmed by Rubio’s representatives.

This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Popular Mexican restaurant chain abruptly closes 2 Sacramento-area locations. Here’s why."