Claim Jumper steakhouse chain closes 41 locations
High labor and food costs have severely impacted the restaurant sector, with recent economic setbacks forcing establishments out of business.
The rising cost of beef has been detrimental for U.S. steakhouses leading some popular restaurants to permanently close locations.
An increase in the cost of beef led to steak prices spiking 16% to $12.73 per pound in March 2026, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. This affected menu prices and discouraged some diners from dining in steakhouses, reducing restaurant revenue.
Several steakhouses have closed locations in the U.S. over the last three months including Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, McCormick & Schmick's, Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill, and Quaker Steak & Lube.
Claim Jumper closes another location
And now, iconic dining chain Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar closed its 41st restaurant since 2010, as it quietly shut down its San Bernardino, Calif., location on June 23.
Claim Jumper thanked its customers on its website and on the entrance to the restaurant for the opportunity to serve them, according to Daily Breeze. The company has removed the San Bernardino location, which opened in 1999, from its website.
The restaurant chain did not give a reason for closing the location.
Claim Jumper's locator page on its website lists four remaining locations in Costa Mesa, Calif.; Buena Park, Calif., which is across the street from Knotts Berry Farm theme park; San Diego; and Tualatin, Ore.
Chain operates CJ restaurants in casinos
The chain's owner Landry's Inc. operates three Claim Jumper affiliated restaurants, which are branded CJ and are located in Golden Nugget Hotel & Casinos, including Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev.
Claim Jumper also closed its restaurants in Henderson, Nev., in April 2026, and La Mesa, and Temecula, Calif., in 2024.
The steakhouse chain was founded in Los Alamitos, Calif., in 1977 by Craig Nickoloff, who sold the majority of the company to a private equity firm in 2005.
Claim Jumper's owners filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2010 and sold the chain out of bankruptcy to restaurant owner Landry's Inc. when the company had 45 locations in eight states. Restaurant operator and real estate company Kelly Companies took over management of most of the Claim Jumper locations.
Conagra licenses the Claim Jumper brand for frozen foods that are sold in supermarkets and are a separate entity from the restaurant chain.
More steakhouses closing
The steakhouse downturn has affected other restaurant chains as well, as Outback Steakhouse's owner Bloomin' Brands closed 21 locations in 2025 and said it would close another 22 locations in 2026 as leases expire, according to its third-quarter earnings call.
Restaurant chain owner Landry's Inc. closed its high-end McCormick & Schmick's steak and seafood dining location in downtown Pittsburgh, after it had operated for 18 years, the company announced on May 26 in a notice on the restaurant's front door, according to KDKA-TV.
The last Quaker Steak & Lube location in Florida, located in Clearwater, will permanently close on July 5, the restaurant's General Manager Hilliary Smith said in a Facebook post.
"After almost 23 years of service, Quaker Steak & Lube is closing its doors after business closes on July 5th," Smith, who has worked at the restaurant since 2009, said.
And Golden Corral restaurant franchisee Conroe Corral Murphy LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas on June 8 and continues to operate.
Remaining Claim Jumpers:
- Costa Mesa, 3333 Bristol St. No. 2078, Costa Mesa, Calif.
- Buena Park, 7971 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, Calif.
- San Diego, 1355 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, Calif.
- Tualatin, 18000 SW Lower Boones Ferry Road, Tualatin, Ore.
- Source: Claim Jumper
Related: Popular barbecue chain franchisee files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
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This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 11:33 AM.