This Recognizable Freezer Aisle Brand Is Closing Its Final Drive-Thru Location

In a January 8, 2026, post on its Instagram page, Amy's Drive Thru announced that it would be closing its Rohnert Park, California, restaurant on March 8, 2026, after 10 years in business. Amy's is owned by Amy's Kitchen, an organic, vegetarian grocery brand you probably recognize from its range of frozen meals and soups. Its Rohnert Park location was the last of four California drive-through restaurants operated by the brand. As of now, its San Francisco Airport café, located in the Harvey Milk Terminal, will remain open.

The Bay Area restaurant was considered a pioneer in vegetarian fast food, offering veggie, vegan, gluten-free dishes made from organic, non-GMO ingredients. It was beloved for its unique take on veggie burgers and chicken tenders, along with vegan grain bowls and soups. The first drive-thru was opened in July of 2015 after Amy's spent two years perfecting its veggie burger recipe.

The news comes just over a year after Amy's Kitchen underwent massive layoffs at its Santa Rosa manufacturing facilities, and four years after it closed its San Jose factory. In a statement made to The Press Democrat, the president of Amy's Kitchen, Paul Schiefer, said the closure is the result of "a challenging period for restaurants nationwide." The restaurant will continue to honor its loyalty rewards program discounts until January 31, 2026, and will offer online ordering via its website.

As of now, the closure of Amy's Drive Thru is not expected to affect the business operations of Amy's Kitchen. Founded in 1987 by Rachel and Andy Berliner and named after their newborn daughter Amy, the company started as a small, family-operated business in Sonoma County, California. It first made vegetarian pot pies, and by the '90s had expanded to include production of ready-made vegetarian meals, including mac and cheese, a line of organic canned soups, and what is now one of the most popular frozen burritos sold in grocery stores.

As the company grew, it also became more committed to providing customers with healthy, all-natural alternatives to traditional grocery store fare. In 2001, it announced it was non-GMO and began developing gluten-free meals. After opening its first Amy's Drive Thru in 2015, the company established a new food holiday: National Veggie Burger Day.

However, since then, the company has faced a string of issues. In 2022, Amy's Kitchen faced allegations of safety concerns and a hostile work environment from staff at its Santa Rosa production facility. Workers reported that they had sustained severe injuries, including burns and amputations, as well as union-busting tactics, low wages, and retaliation against complaints. The company was fined $25,000 by the state, and the Food Empowerment Project launched a boycott of Amy's. Some Bay Area grocers even pulled products from shelves. The company laid off hundreds of employees over the next two years, and the closure of Amy's Drive Thru could indicate that the company still hasn't fully recovered.