End of an era: After 50+ years, Jacksonville's last Piccadilly Cafeteria is closing

A Jacksonville dining institution is closing permanently Tuesday after more than 50 years of serving up fried chicken, carrot souffle, mac & cheese, Red Velvet cake and more Southern comfort food.

The last Piccadilly Cafeteria in the city and Northeast Florida is shuttering its doors — a decision that left employees and customers distraught Monday night.

Tears flowed freely among servers and guests at the restaurant, 3216 University Blvd. S., at supper time. Many guests said they came for a final meal but also to comfort and show support for the employees who've become like family over the years.

"We're devastated too. … I'm still speechless," restaurant manager Tess Brown, who's been with Piccadilly since 2007, told the Times-Union.

Piccadilly is the most recent restaurant closing this year. Among those bidding farewell were all three Jacksonville-area Bojangles locations, Black Sheep in Five Points and Cotten's Bar-B-Que in Arlington.

Brown said their district manager told them the news Monday morning. She said she didn't know the reasons for the closure.

Piccadilly corporate officials Tuesday morning confirmed the closure but offered no explanation.

"We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all our loyal customers as well as our team members and management that contributed to Piccadilly’s success for well over 50 years in the Jacksonville community," Callie Tucker, director of marketing for Piccadilly Cafeterias, said in an email to the Times-Union.

Brown said the restaurant has about 18 employees including some who have been there 40 years.

Co-worker Kellie Meyer said she started at the restaurant in 2019.

"I love this job. … I love the people," she said before going to help an elderly guest take her dinner to a table.

A neighborhood resident, Max New said he's been eating at the restaurant since the 1960s.

"I'm just in shock. But hey, it happens. All the other Piccadilly stores have closed, too, in Jacksonville. This is the last one. Yep, I've been concerned about if it had enough business to sustain it," he said.

The food and the hospitality have kept him coming back.

"My wife died quite a few years ago so, man, this has been a really good place. It's healthy food, said New, who routinely buys small pans of the restaurant's vegetables — such as green beans, carrot souffle, black-eye peas and broccoli — to take home. He also conceded that he "sometimes yields to the macaroni and cheese."

Brown noted the majority of the restaurant's customers are senior citizens.

"They faithfully come every day … I feel for them. We've got some customers who even come twice a day," she said.

With Piccadilly closed, New said he'll probably go to Golden Corral at 9070 Merrill Road, which is about seven miles away. He's also waiting for Chow's Country Buffet to open four miles away at 4250 Southside Blvd., which is a former Golden Corral location to see if it can replace Piccadilly.

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Only one Piccadilly left in Florida

The Jacksonville closure means only one Piccadilly Cafeteria is left in Florida, and it's in Hollywood near Miami.

At one point, Piccadilly had three Jacksonville locations including the University Boulevard S. restaurant.

Open nearly a quarter-century, Piccadilly's Westside restaurant at 5950 Ramona Blvd. closed in 2013.

Less than 18 months earlier, Piccadilly closed its Regency Square Mall cafeteria after 44 years. Piccadilly was one of the mall's original tenants dating to 1967 before relocating outside the mall to a standalone building in 1990.

Piccadilly currently lists 30 locations in seven Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia, according to its website.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on Twitter @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at [email protected].

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Piccadilly Cafeteria closing last Jacksonville, Florida restaurant