[ALERT] Arby's Abandons Another Atlanta Area Restaurant

Another day, another Arby's closure in the greater metro Atlanta area.  This time, it's the Arby's at 121 Old Allatoona Road in Emerson.  

A ToNeTo Atlanta reader suggests that the restaurant closed quietly in recent days without prior notice to guests.  Signage has already been removed from the restaurant, replaced with a small note confirming the permanent closure.

Bartow County tax records indicate that the roughly 3,000 square foot freestanding building on Allatoona Road sits on nearly one acre and was built in 2017, making it one of the newest Arby's in the metro area.  The Emerson Arby's opened alongside other quick-serve restaurants and gas stations attracted to the area due to the LakePoint Sports complex, a popular destination for travel-sports competitions.  

Property records suggest that the RTM Operating Company, LLC, an entity seemingly controlled by Inspire Brands corporate, owns the Emerson restaurant.      

ToNeTo Atlanta reported earlier this month that Arby's had closed closed units in East Cobb and Duluth.  Both the East Cobb and Duluth restaurants were previously owned by RTM Georgia, once an operator of roughly 800 Arby's restaurants and the largest franchisee of the brand.  Tax records indicate that both units were most recently owned and operated by Arby's corporate via Arby's Properties, LLC.  

Arby's, owned by Sandy Springs-based Inspire Brands, has seen several metro Atlanta units close in recent years, including those in Roswell, Alpharetta, Albany, Milton, Buford, Chamblee, Sandy Springs, downtown Atlanta, Buckhead (Chastain Park), and Suwanee.       

The latest closures come on the heels of closures in Marietta along Cobb Parkway this past November, and in Chamblee along Peachtree Boulevard this past December.  In years past, Arby's have also closed on Spring Street in midtown, Vaughn Road in Kennesaw, South Cobb Drive in Smyrna, Metropolitan Parkway in Atlanta, and LaVista Road in Tucker, as well as food court locations in Northlake Mall in Tucker and Lenox Square in Buckhead, among others.          

ToNeTo Atlanta reported in October 2024 that Arby's closed its longstanding restaurant on Roswell and Wieuca Roads in Chastain Park.  This past June, we reported that a new location of Fifth Third Bank is planned in its place, with "coming soon" signage having only recently been installed.   

Despite all the closures, the company and its franchisees continue to operate about 3,400 restaurants worldwide.    Remaining Atlanta area units include those on North Druid Hills Road, Sidney Marcus Boulevard, and Howell Mill Road in Atlanta, and Hammond Drive in Sandy Springs.    

Are you surprised to see so many Arby's close across metro Atlanta?  What would you like to see open in place of shuttered Arby's?  What is your favorite quick-serve restaurant (QSR)?       

Please share your thoughts below.