If you have ever found yourself weirdly nostalgic for a cafeteria, you are not alone.
For decades, MCL Restaurant & Bakery has been serving up exactly that kind of comfort. The tray, the line, the endless options, the slightly chaotic joy of deciding between fried chicken or pot pie. And now, after 38 years, the Whitehall location is preparing to close.
The restaurant announced on social media that it will serve its final meals on March 29, citing declining sales and rising operating costs.
“We hate to close Whitehall, but unfortunately the sales were not where they need to be to cover operating cost,” the company shared.
Look, millennials get blamed for killing a lot of things.
Department stores. Napkins. Casual dining chains. But this one actually hurts.
Because MCL is not just another restaurant. It is a very specific kind of experience that feels almost impossible to replicate now. It is cafeteria-style dining in the best way, where you grab a tray and build your perfect plate from a lineup of Midwest comfort classics.
We are talking fried chicken, chicken pot pie, liver and onions, and southern fried catfish. Mashed potatoes are basically mandatory. And yes, the Jell-O salads are still there, exactly as you remember them.
And then there are the pies. MCL has built a loyal following around its from-scratch desserts, including the dangerously affordable 99-cent pie slices on Thursdays.
The closure is part of a broader round of shutdowns for the family-owned chain, which also includes its original Indianapolis location. Several restaurants across Ohio and Indiana are closing as the company faces ongoing financial challenges.
While the Whitehall location is shutting down, MCL says its MCL Restaurant & Bakery location in Upper Arlington will remain open and continue serving the Columbus area.
Fans have already taken to social media to share memories and ask if anything can be done to save local spots.
According to the company, the decision is final.
If you are hoping to relive the glory days of cafeteria dining one more time, you still have a little time. The Whitehall location, at 5240 E Main St, Whitehall, OH 43213, will remain open daily from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through March 29.
