In 1981, pizzerias that also served more sophisticated Italian food were somewhat rare. In Boston, you could go to the upscale traditional Italian restaurants in the city’s famous North End, but pizza was generally not on their menus.
Yes, that neighborhood had some fabulous pizza places that I visited with friends and family in the 80s. And while it wasn’t unheard of, it wasn’t that common for pizza to be on the same menu as pasta dishes and other Italian entrees.
When Bertucci’s opened in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1981, the soon-to-be chain delivered something different. It was a classic brick oven pizzeria that also offered a full Italian menu for lunch and dinner along with its bocce courts.
This was the first place I played bocce and probably the first time I was ever given a ball of dough to play with before dinner. (This later became something just for little kids, but it was something I got to experience in the late 80s with my high school friends.)
The chain offered something different, a high-end experience where you could order a pizza or a pasta dish alongside classics like chicken parmigiana and some of their own versions of Italian classics.
That was a recipe for success, at least for a while, and Bertucci’s grew up and down the East Coast to over 100 locations at its peak.
For the chain, however, the decline has been rapid, and after three Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings, the third of which was not resolved, the chain only has 12 locations in our states.
More bankruptcy:
“Bertucci’s Restaurants LLC has filed a comprehensive disclosure statement in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, outlining a proposed reorganization plan that would allow the Italian restaurant chain to emerge from Chapter 11 protection with a dramatically restructured business model focused on expanding fast-casual dining,” Chapter11Cases.com reported.
Some creditors would be paid, according to a 28-page disclosure statement filed by the company in August.
Under the proposed plan, Bertucci’s largest creditor, PHL Holdings LLC, which holds a $23.264 million secured claim against all of the company’s assets, would retain its lien and receive monthly interest payments over a 60-month term.
The plan maintains PHL’s security position while allowing the company to continue operations and overcome debt through operating cash flow.
A smaller equipment financing claim held by Ameris Bank d/b/a Balboa Capital Corporation, totaling $69,664, would be satisfied in 53 monthly payments of $1,306.37 beginning the month following the effective date of the plan.
However, unsecured lenders will not fare as well.
Those creditors, whose claims are estimated at approximately $2.5 million, would receive proportionate distributions solely from the proceeds of the sale of a liquor license in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, with total distributions capped at $200,000.
The disclosure statement states that the license is currently listed for sale.
“The Debtor believes that the Plan provides the best means currently available for its Chapter 11 emergence and the best possible recoveries for the Creditors and Interest Holders,” said attorneys R. Scott Shuker and Lauren L. Stricker of Shuker & Dorris, PA.
Bertucci’s was one of the earliest to use non-traditional pizza toppings.r.classen/Shutterstock” loading=”lazy” height=”540″ width=”960″ class=”yf-1gfnohs loader”/>
Bertucci’s was one of the earliest to use non-traditional pizza toppings.r.classen/Shutterstock
April 15, 2018: Bertucci filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the first time. Closed 15 locations. At the time, the company owed about $9 million to suppliers and about $110 million to financial creditors, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
June 2018: The chain was acquired by Earl Enterprises for about $20 million, Boston Magazine reported.
2019: The chain still made about US$120 million in annual sales, according to FSR Magazine.
December 2022: Bertucci filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time. The company cited the impact of the Covid pandemic, inflation, rising costs and declining sales. At the time of filing, the chain was downsizing to fewer restaurants, Restaurant Dive shared.
Closures after 2022: As part of its second bankruptcy restructuring, several underperforming locations (including several in Massachusetts and elsewhere) were closed, shrinking the chain’s footprint, FSR Magazine reported.
April 24, 2025: Bertucci has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the third time in seven years, according to documents on PacerMonitor.
The new strategy: the launch of Bertucci’s Pronto: As part of the 2025 restructuring, the company introduced a fast-casual “Pronto” concept. The first Bertucci’s Pronto opened in Boston (at 22 Tremont Street) just before the bankruptcy filing, FSR Magazine reported.
Restructuring after 2025: According to bankruptcy filings, the company renegotiated leases, cut operating costs where possible and planned to focus on remaining high-performing locations, plus the new fast-casual concept, according to documents filed with Stretto.
The chain has closed nearly 90% of its locations. It now has nine locations in Massachusetts, as well as one each in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Bertucci’s has high hopes for its new fast-casual brand Pronto.
“Pronto offers a wide variety of breakfast items, sandwiches, and other quick snacks like pizza by the slice, while keeping many of Bertucci’s signature pies. The strategy seems solid, but it’s been tried by several other restaurant chains without much success. Catch it,” Mashed reported.
The chain’s path to a comeback is also affected by current economic conditions.
“For the first time in years, grocery sales are growing as consumers choose to buy more food to cook at home. According to federal data, grocery prices rose 1.1 percent over the past year, while the cost of dining out rose 4.1 percent.
The increases have been a continuing trend.
“Since mid-2020, the cost of food has risen by 19%, while restaurant prices have increased by nearly 24%. This substantial increase is causing many Americans to recalibrate their spending, choosing to splurge on higher-quality food instead of dining out,” the magazine said.
Bertucci’s survival ultimately depends on whether the court accepts his turnaround plan. The company argues in its filing that this would be better for creditors than a forced Chapter 7 liquidation.
“The company’s liquidation analysis, also filed with the disclosure statement, demonstrates that unsecured creditors would receive nothing in a Chapter 7 liquidation scenario, as the estimated $1.8 million in liquidation proceeds would be insufficient to cover the $24.6 million in secured debt and claims prior to general unsecured creditors,” Stretto reported.
Related: Pioneering national pizza chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
This story was originally published by TheStreet on December 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the Restaurants section. Add TheStreet as a favorite source by clicking here.
