Chevys Fresh Mex closes its doors in Modesto | The Modesto Bee

Modesto’s Chevys Fresh Mex has closed, part of the shuttering of more than a dozen restaurants by its Southern California parent company, Real Mex Restaurants.

Christmas Eve was the last day of business for the Chevys at Standiford Avenue and Carver Road. The restaurant has been a mainstay in Modesto, opening in October 1990, according to Real Mex spokeswoman Sara Barker.

The Orange County Register newspaper reported that Real Mex has closed 14 restaurants. The restaurant chain operates under the brands Chevys, El Torito and Acapulco.

Real Mex did not give workers notice that the restaurants were closing.

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“We did not know until the very end,” Barker said.

She said Real Mex was closing underperforming restaurants by the end of its fiscal year, which concluded Monday, as it finishes negotiations to acquire a major restaurant chain. She said the acquisition will double the number of restaurants owned by Real Mex, which now has 85. That number does not include a dozen Chevys owned by franchisees.

Real Mex did not release the name of the restaurant chain it is trying to acquire.

Barker said she did not know how many employees worked at the Modesto restaurant but said the company’s typical restaurant has about 40 employees. She said the workers at the closed restaurants can transfer to other restaurants in the chain, and Real Mex expects at least half of them will do so. She said an El Torito in Stockton is the nearest restaurant for the Modesto employees.

Real Mex said in a statement to the Register that the restaurants have been closed for several reasons, including the expiration of leases, the cost of deferred maintenance, financial performance or lease terms that were not favorable.

The Register reported the closures included Chevys Fresh Mex in Fresno and in San Ramon.