Southwest Florida’s long run with Skyline Chili has come to an abrupt stop. After 38 years, the Fort Myers and Naples locations have closed, leaving regulars who banked on cheese coneys, five-ways and late-night carryout to instead find locked doors this week.
Franchise owner Gates Rodenfels, who operated both outposts, broke the news on Facebook, writing, "after 38 years of selling skyline chili, we are now officially closed. thank you sw florida for all the years of some really great memories," according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Public business records show the Rodenfels family has held the local franchise under S.W. Florida Chili, Inc. since the late 1980s, per BisProfiles.
Skyline’s corporate office confirmed the closures and told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the longtime franchisee decided to retire. The company added it is looking for “strong franchise candidates” to keep the brand alive in Southwest Florida, according to the outlet.
Where to Find Skyline in Florida
Southwest Florida might be out of luck for now, but Skyline is not gone from the state entirely. The chain still lists active restaurants in Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton), Sunrise, Clearwater and Winter Garden on its Florida pages. Diners can check the official location listings through Skyline Chili or review details for the Bradenton-area shop via Skyline Chili for hours and menu information.
Local Roots and What Comes Next
The Naples and Fort Myers restaurants were operated by the Rodenfels family’s company and were incorporated in 1988, which roughly matches the 38-year span the owner cited. With Rodenfels stepping away, the most likely way Skyline returns to the region is through a sale or transfer of the franchise territory to a new local operator.
Fans reacted quickly online, jumping onto message boards to swap stories and lament the loss of a regional oddity in the heart of Southwest Florida. A popular thread on the Cincinnati subreddit drew dozens of responses from loyalists who reminisced about the chain’s distinctive menu and voiced hopes that a new operator might revive the local stores, according to Reddit.
Skyline has said it wants franchisees who will carry on the existing menu while its other Florida locations remain open, but the company has not given a timetable for any ownership transfer. For now, Southwest Florida Skyline die-hards are left with canned chili, road trips to the nearest outposts or simply waiting and hoping for a new local owner to step in.
