As someone who’s done several cross-country road trips, one of the best perks of long drives is stopping at restaurants featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (aka Triple D).
Since its debut in 2007, Fieri has showcased over 1,400 restaurants, with many owners crediting the exposure for saving their businesses. However, not all of these eateries have been able to stay open.
While Fieri’s influence can boost a restaurant’s profile, various factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, rising food costs, and competition have contributed to the closure of several iconic spots.
Hungry Triple D fans across the country have been saddened to see some of their favorite places shutter for good.
How Many Triple D Restaurants Have Closed?
As of September 2024, 224 of the 1,498 featured restaurants on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives have closed, according to Flavortown USA. That’s nearly 15% of the total.
While that may seem high, it’s actually lower than the average failure rate in the restaurant industry. In fact, about one in three restaurants don’t make it past their first year.
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Why Do Some Restaurants Close Despite The Triple D Boost?
Despite the huge publicity that comes with being on the show, not every restaurant can withstand the pressures of running a business. Some places have shut down within a year of appearing on Triple D. For instance, Eight Noodle Shop in Napa, CA, featured on the show in 2018, closed just a year later in 2019.
Other closures happened after long, successful runs. Seattle’s The Red Door, a beloved local spot that Fieri visited in 2018, closed in 2020 after 33 years of service. Financial difficulties related to a new lease were reportedly the main reason.
Even so, staying open for over three decades is quite an achievement in an industry where 80% of restaurants fail within five years.
Recent Closures
More recently, Dad’s Kitchen in Sacramento, which appeared on Triple D in 2011, closed its doors in July 2024 after 14 years of serving their famous Hot Blonde sandwiches. The owners marked the closure with a series of celebratory events, a farewell fitting for a restaurant that made its mark.
As you can imagine, Guy Fieri would likely respond with one of his signature phrases like, “Hell yeah” or “Peace, love, and taco grease.”
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A Tough Industry, But a Lasting Legacy
While the closures are unfortunate, many of these restaurants consider their time in business a major success, especially given the challenges of the food industry.
Even though some Triple D-featured eateries have shut down, the exposure from the show has helped countless others thrive.
In the end, about 85% of the featured spots are still open, continuing to serve the delicious, greasy food that Fieri’s fans travel far and wide to taste.
And for many restaurant owners, just having the opportunity to be on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives is a win, even if they eventually close their doors.
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