UPDATE: Marie Callender's Closes Abruptly; Corporation Files for Bankruptcy

Marie Callender's restaurants in Walnut Creek and on Diamond Boulevard in Concord, in San Ramon and other Bay Area locations abruptly closed their doors Sunday afternoon — without informing staff that the closure was coming, the blog Claycord is reporting.

Close on the heels came news that the corporate parent of Marie Callender’s and the Perkins chain has filed for bankruptcy in a Delaware court, citing weak sales in a poor economy, according to Reuter's.

Claycord quotes a reader whose friend was eating at the restaurant: 

"A friend of mine was just at Marie Callender’s and mid-lunch the restaurant shut down. Didn’t even let them finish eating or pay. Apparently they got a fax from HQ that said they had to close immediately."

A waitress told the Mayor of Claycord that staff received no warning, that signs were placed on the doors announcing the closure and that other locations closed are in Napa, Capitola, Elk Grove, San Ramon, Daly City, Salinas, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Merced and Hayward.