Heaven on earth with an onion slice won't be found in Muncie any longer.
Cheeseburger in Paradise, located on 1705 W. McGalliard Road, closed Saturday night after giving about a week's notice to its employees.
Ball State University junior Jacob Stanton has been an employee at the restaurant since January 2007.
"We were given some advance notice, as advanced as they could really give us," he said. "We basically had about five days notice about the close, which technically they're not required to do."
Rachel French, an employee since September 2008 and a senior at Ball State, said she would have preferred not being notified at what could be considered last minute. The restaurant announced its closing Tuesday.
"I would have appreciated more notice," she said. "It would've made things easier when finding a job."
OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC, owner of the Cheeseburger in Paradise franchise, said in a press release that the decision to close the restaurant was the result of a transfer of company ownership.
"We have enjoyed the privilege of having a loyal customer base in Muncie since we first opened in 2005," said a company representative in the press release.
"Clint Pitts and his team did an excellent job operating the restaurant," the representative said. "On behalf of all of us, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to our many guests for their patronage throughout the years."
The company will help former employees find jobs at other OSI-owned restaurants in the area, an offer that Stanton said he is going to check out.
"It's definitely something on my mind," he said.
Stanton said that the first thing his managers did after announcing the closing was ask the employees if they needed help attaining a position at Outback Steakhouse, another OSI restaurant in Muncie.
Stanton and French said they agree that the company has been supportive in trying to relocate former employees to new positions elsewhere.
"It was nice of them to offer their help," Stanton said.
"As soon as they told us the store was closing, they were so willing to help us," French said. "You could tell they felt bad after telling us."
Despite his newly unemployed state, Stanton said he is not deterred. The restaurant's closing has given him something he has not had in a while, he said.
"Honestly, the first thing I'm going to do is enjoy the free time," Stanton said. "I've worked close to full-time for the last two and a half years. For the next couple of days, I'm just going to relax and enjoy the free time. After that, I'll start putting applications in."
However, French said she felt uncertain about the future.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do," French said. "I've been looking on the 'want ads' and I've been hoping to find something in the next week or so. Currently, I have no idea."
As for the restaurant's future in Muncie, OSI announced that the franchise may not be gone from the Muncie area for good.
"We may look to re-enter the market in the future," said a company representative.
According to the company's press release, Cheeseburger in Paradise gift cards purchased prior to the restaurant's closing may be redeemed at any OSI-owned restaurant until June 15. They can also be refunded online at cheeseburgerinparadise.com.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
