Food Play Mexican Restaurant LLC

Food Play Mexican Restaurant LLC, doing business as Food Play Mexican Restaurant, was a chain of mexican restaurants.

History
After Chi-Chi's closed the remaining restaurants across the United States, after a few days, the 5 Chi-Chi's restaurants in Matchboxtown, NC (a year later, changed its city name to Richardstown), were reopened under a new company called Chi-Chi's Matchboxtown LLC (which in 2005, changed the Matchboxtown moniker with Richardstown). However the company was struggling due to Kimco Realty selling some out parcels near the locations, and its competitor Taco Bell, the Tex-Mex chain owned by Yum Brands, opening up some new locations near Chi-Chi's locations. In 2008, the parent company of Chi-Chi's Richardstown, KIMMEX LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and closed 2 Chi-Chi's locations. In 2009, the company was acquired by La Mexican Fiesta Group, the owner of La Fiesta Restaurant. In 2012, one La Fiesta location was converted into a Chi-Chi's location, making the chain's first expansion since the bankruptcy of its former parent company.

In 2014, the company announced to rebrand its Chi-Chi's locations to Food Play Mexican Restaurant after discovering that the Chi-Chi's name is now owned by Hormel Foods for grocery items. In 2017, one location closed down due to health concerns shortly after an outbreak of food poisoning that was caused by employee's hands not washed perfectly.

In November 2018, Food Play Mexican Restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and closed the 3 remaining locations. La Mexican Fiesta Group also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2018, and then it was liquidated. Taco Bell, Flaming Amy's Burrito Barn, and El Cerro Grande Mexican Restaurant, respectively, announced to open up in 3 former Food Play locations. La Fiesta was sold to Hudson Capital Group, but however La Fiesta filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ceased operations shortly after.

In mid-January 2019, one former Food Play location which closed in 2017 due to health concerns, would be demolished and be replaced with McDonald's.