Food and Drinq

The Steak & Ale that's stood on the Trevose side of the Philadelphia-Bucks County line on Route 1 since the 1970s is out of business, a rep of Metromedia Restaurant Group, the Texas company that owns Steak & Ale, Ponderosa and Bennigan's, confirms.

The Cherry Hill, Bethelem and Wilmington locations are still open, dispensing $10.99 prime-rib specials early in the week.

The restaurant trades reported last month that the privately held Metromedia was trying to restructure its debt and stave off a bankruptcy filing.

In a statement, Metromedia said: "Given the slow economy and its impact on the entire casual dining industry, Metromedia Restaurant Group must address several difficult issues to make smarter decisions for our bottom line. Our goal is to be proactive by creating a healthier financial outlook for all our brands. As a result MRG has made the difficult decision to close underperforming units. MRG remains committed to our restaurant staff and managers. Where possible we are working to place employees in other MRG-owned units in their area, and if an MRG position is not available we have reached out to our local competitors to help us place employees. MRG would also like to express its deepest appreciation for the years of loyal patronage to any consumers affected by these recent closings, and we encourage guests to visit our existing network of restaurants."