Bob Evans Restaurants wants you to know that its more than 500 restaurants are open for business and rumors to the contrary are "alternative facts."
The New Albany, Ohio, chain issued a cheeky news release today in response to rumors that it is closing its restaurants, which are in Ohio and 17 other states.
The company said the rumors -- fueled by social media chatter -- flew after Bob Evans Farms announced yesterday it was selling its restaurant division to a private equity firm.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," Bob Evans Restaurants President John Fisher said of the rumored shutdown of the chain.
"Don't let fake news mislead you," Fisher said in the news release, using the term "fake news" that cropped up in this year's presidential election.
The press release noted that the company has released a video [https://youtu.be/J9KZ84jJRU4] featuring Fisher reading some of the posts about the rumored closings. The press release included some of the erroneous tweets and it labeled the tweets "Alternative Facts Tweets."
"Alternative facts" is a phrase that went viral after President Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway used it Jan. 22 during an interview on Meet the Press. She was defending White House press secretary Sean Spicer's claims the crowd size at Trump's inauguration.
"All Bob Evans Restaurants are open for business! We are firmly committed to providing the same great food and warm hospitality that our company was built upon," Fisher said in the news release.
Bob Evans Farms said yesterday it is selling its restaurants to a private equity company for $565 million, splitting the restaurant part of the company from the food division that makes sausage and other foods.
Fisher will keep his job as president of the restaurant chain, and the chain's headquarters will remain in central Ohio
Here is the complete news release:
Bob Evans Restaurants President Reads Top “Alternative Facts” Tweets about Company Closing
One Passionate Guest Begs President Donald Trump to Buy Bob Evans
NEW ALBANY, Ohio: Contrary to the trending topic on Twitter, Bob Evans Restaurants is open for business. Following yesterday’s announcement of the planned sale of Bob Evans Restaurants, rumors began to fly across social media that the company was closing its restaurants.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said John Fisher, president, Bob Evans Restaurants. “All Bob Evans Restaurants are open for business! We are firmly committed to providing the same great food and warm hospitality that our company was built upon. Don’t let fake news mislead you.”
Thousands took to social media, leading to a trending topic lamenting the end of the Ohio-based restaurant chain. Today, the company released a video [https://youtu.be/J9KZ84jJRU4]featuring Fisher reading some of the most outrageous posts about the misunderstanding. Below are a few highlighted tweets:
“@realDonaldTrump will you please buy the Bob Evans company, at least if you do we would all have some hope J”
“Just to make this day worse, Bob Evans is closing its restaurants. I QUIT. There is NO HOPE.”
“I forbid Bob Evans to close down their restaurants. What will the cute grandpas do on Sunday morning?”
“@BobEvansFarms I hope this is an alternative fact”
The company’s headquarters will remain in their current location in central Ohio, and with the same leadership team in place. Saed Mohseni will assume the role of CEO of Bob Evans Restaurants, and Fisher will continue in his role as Bob Evans Restaurants president.
To clear up misunderstandings, Bob Evans has posted a question and answer online for the company’s guests and fans: https://www.bobevans.com/faq.
“Our more than 500 restaurants across 18 states continue to welcome strangers as friends and friends as family, as we have for decades and as we will into the future,” said Mohseni. “Our founder and namesake, Bob Evans, wouldn’t have it any other way.”
For more information, visit BobEvans.com.