Consumers want value, especially when it comes to everyday restaurants.

People often treat special occasions differently, paying less attention to cost, while everyday dining decisions are more price-sensitive. This mirrors what I’ve observed in casual dining visits over the past decades.

Value and price, of course, are not the same thing. That creates a challenge for sit-down chains that aren’t destination or occasion restaurants, and therefore haven’t built their businesses around a value proposition.

“They’re trying to aim at the average middle consumer,” Ernest Baskin, associate professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph’s University, told WRAL. “When consumers start watching their budget, the middle shrinks.”

That puts Not Your Average Joe’s, a sit-down American restaurant that’s nicer and pricier than thriving chains such as Chili’s, Texas Roadhouse, and Yard House, in a challenging position. It’s not a chain that advertises $6 margaritas or $10.99 “3 For Me” meals with a drink, appetizer, and entree for $10.99.

Instead, it’s a higher-end, classic American menu that’s mid-priced. That’s a challenging place to be in the current market, and over the past few years, Not Your Average Joe’s has quietly cut its restaurant locations by more than half.

Not Your Average Joe’s has struggled

Chili’s has succeeded partially because it already had a high perception of value from consumers, and it advertises nationally around its price-based deals. For a regional chain that’s perceived as being a bit higher on the pricing scale, Not Your Average Joe’s has become a challenged brand.

“In a time-starved world, people want something to be quick at an affordable price,” Brian Vaccaro, an analyst at Raymond James, told WRAL.

The parent company recently closed its Watertown Square, Mass., location after 27 years in operation.

“Our leases are up and we have decided to not renew,” regional director of operations Sara Murtagh told WBZ-TV, as CBS News reported. “We are very sad to leave after all these years.”

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That’s not a very telling statement, but leaving a location after that many years suggests that the company believed its business could no longer support the rent.

From a peak of 25 locations, Not Your Average Joe’s now has only 11 restaurants. Its website shows 13, but that includes two Massachusetts locations, which were confirmed to have closed by WBZ-TV.

Americans have pulled back on restaurant spending.

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Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant closures

  • Watertown Square, Mass. (Feb. 2026): The Not Your Average Joe’s location in Watertown Square closed after 27 years in business. A company spokesperson confirmed the closure and thanked the community for its support, according to Boston.com.
  • Norwell, Mass. (Feb. 2026): Not Your Average Joe’s in Norwell closed, continuing a wave of shutdowns for the suburban casual dining chain. The Pond Street location’s last day of service was reported to be Saturday, Feb. 21, NBC Boston reported.
  • Peabody, Mass. (Dec. 2025): The Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant at Northshore Mall in Peabody permanently closed in late December 2025 as the chain continued to reduce its footprint, reported Boston Restaurants.
  • Burlington, Mass. (Dec. 2024): The Burlington, Massachusetts location shut down at the end of 2024, removing another long-running suburban Boston unit from the chain’s lineup, added Boston Restaurants.
    Shrinking footprint: Not Your Average Joe’s once operated more than 25 locations across several states. By 2025, that number had fallen to 11 following years of steady closures, according to Boston.com.

Not Your Average Joe’s is not unique

For a scratch-cook kitchen, Not Your Average Joe’s actually offers good value.

“At Not Your Average Joe’s we make everything from scratch and always use the freshest ingredients,” the chain shared on its Facebook page.

Doing that, however, costs more money. And although consumers may get reasonable value for the price paid, the perception of value suffers compared to cheaper chains.

Clarence Otis Jr., the former CEO of Darden Restaurants, which owns chains including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, explained that bottom-line price matters.

“Outback, which defined the casual dining steakhouse model in the United States, lost customers as it relied too heavily on promotions to draw diners and cut costs, while simultaneously hiking prices. Outback’s check average was $29 last year — $6 above rival Texas Roadhouse and $2.50 more than LongHorn Steakhouse,” he told WRAL.

“These brands got dated in terms of their menu offering, the look and feel of the restaurants, and how they reach consumers,” he added.

In the casual dining space, chains like Not Your Average Joe’s have been hurt by the state of the economy.

“Casual dining chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks. These restaurants have been hiking menu prices at the same time their customer base has been squeezed by the rising cost of living,” CNN reported.

Since 2019, restaurant prices have increased 34%, outpacing the overall growth of inflation during that same period, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

A Massachusetts native, Daniel Kline has visited many of the Not Your Average Joe’s Restaurants, which have closed.

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