Some other corporately-owned Ground Round eateries also closed.

WARWICK, R.I. (AP) – The Ground Round in the Warwick Mall went out of business so abruptly employees had to go table to table, telling customers the restaurant was closed.

The restaurant shut its doors Friday, along with the other corporate-owned members of the chain.

Sean Finney, manger of the Warwick restaurant, said he received a conference call around 4:30 p.m. Friday telling him of the closings.

He estimated 83 of the company’s 130 restaurants are corporate-owned.

The Ground Round in Pawtucket, a privately owned franchise, will remain open.

Finney told The Providence Journal the Warwick restaurant employed 52 people, and said he was not sure if the staff would get their final paychecks.

The Ground Round chain is owned by American Hospitality Concepts, based in Braintree, Mass. Most of its restaurant are located in the Northeast. The company employs about 5,500 people, and recorded about $170 million in sales last year, a 12.5 percent increase over the previous year.

AP-ES-02-14-04 1051EST