Crain’s Chicago Business:
Simon Property Group Inc. is suing a well-known casual restaurant chain to collect more than $143,000 in past-due rent and other fees for locations at two Chicago-area malls.
The Indianapolis-based mall giant alleges in separate lawsuits that Ruby Tuesday Inc. locations at Lincolnwood Town Center and Orland Square Mall have fallen behind on their monthly rent payments, though Simon has not begun eviction proceedings.
The complaints, filed Sept. 11 in Cook County Circuit Court, don’t list the monthly rents or specify why the payments have been skipped. Both restaurants remain open.
The two restaurants are run by franchisee RT Midwest Holdings LLC, according to Maryville, Tenn.-based Ruby Tuesday.
“We have been made aware of the lawsuits and are investigating the facts of the situation,†a Ruby Tuesday spokesman says in an e-mail.The lawsuits come as many restaurants struggle because of the recession, which has forced many consumers to cut back their spending on non-necessities, such as eating out.