Why Are Filibertos Locations Closing In Phoenix Area?

I love carne asada fries, and there's nothing my family loves more than sharing a giant plate of this local delicacy at Filiberto's on a Friday night before catching a movie.

We've done this so often that it's become a family tradition. While our local Filiberto's is part of a larger, multistate franchise, it has a hometown, local feel.

Filiberto's Restaurant via Google Maps Street View

The Tenorio family opened the first Filiberto's restaurant in Phoenix in 1993. In case your town isn't lucky enough to have one, Filiberto's specializes in homestyle Mexican food. You can't beat their "as big as your head" portions of carne asada burritos, breakfast burritos, rolled tacos, and chimichangas.

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According to their Wikipedia page, Filiberto's has over 70 locations, most of which are located in Arizona, Southern California, and New Mexico.

Carne Asada burritos // Canva

Where are Filiberto's Restaurants Closing?

If you’ve pulled up to your local Filiberto’s lately only to find a closed sign slapped on the door, you’re not alone. Eight locations across the Phoenix area have abruptly shut down, and their loyal customers are wondering what happened.

Carne Asada fries // Canva

Restaurants in Phoenix, Avondale, Apache Junction, Chandler, Peoria, Scottsdale, and Gilbert have suddenly closed.

While the chain has over fifty locations in the Valley, the shuttered restaurants were owned by the Compadres Group, a Scottsdale-based company run by John Schwimmer.

Where are Filiberto's Restaurants Closing?

So, why did they close? According to Cesar Tenorio, a member of the family that founded Filiberto’s, Schwimmer shut down the restaurants due to unforeseen medical issues. Tenorio’s family is now working to take over the leases and reopen the locations.

r/phoenix via Reddit

Frustrated customers have been sounding off on platforms like Reddit, Yelp, and Google, expressing frustration over the sudden closures. One user said, "The sign just says 'Closed', what's going on?" Some locations even had "Permanently" handwritten on the signs, adding to customers' confusion.

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These eight Filiberto’s locations could be closed for a while, but if the Tenorio family can reclaim the locations, the beloved 24-hour drive-thrus will hopefully open again soon.