After suffering closures in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Golden Corral’s largest restaurant franchisee is filing for bankruptcy protection.

The restaurant operator, 1069 Restaurant Group, filed for Chapter 11, citing COVID-19 closures and a sales decline during the pandemic, Restaurant Business reported. The company, which operates 33 Golden Corral restaurants primarily in Florida and Georgia, had a debt load of $49.7 million, according to court documents.

Golden Corral, like other buffet-style restaurants, has had to get creative during the pandemic to curb the spread of the virus. The company underwent an overhaul of its services, instead offering cafeteria-style and family-style dining to allow customers contactless food servings.

Through the bankruptcy filing, 1069 said it will refit its restaurants to offer a new way of serving customers while also assessing which locations should close permanently, Restaurant Business reported.

Golden Corral told the news outlet that it anticipates the franchisee will