CALUMET CITY | Alphonso Prince knew early Tuesday morning he wouldn't be working at Bennigan's later that day.

The 33-year-old general manager showed up anyway.

Prince was one of about 60 employees of the Torrence Avenue restaurant who received word early Tuesday that they were out of jobs as the privately held Metromedia Restaurant Group of Plano, Texas, announced its plans to file for bankruptcy protection. He said he had been outside the building since about 9 a.m., greeting former employees who might have missed his earlier calls.

Prince said he was proud of being hired off the street as general manager after being born in East Chicago and living in a Gary foster home for much of his life.

"I had people coming in here everyday asking for jobs. Now I'm one of them," said Prince, who has published a cookbook and others. "I just have to keep my head up and know the Lord didn't bring me this far just to drop me."

Menus and a broom lay on the ground near the door, which had a printed sign that read, "It is with deep regrets that we have to inform you Bennigan's has shut down all operations. We thank our employees for their time and commitment. And we thank our patrons for their years of patronage!"

As Prince stood watch, several patrons pulled into the parking lot for lunch and were told there was no food today. One man offered words of hope; another produced a business card and the promise of a job. An Anheuser-Busch representative stopped by to see about getting equipment back. A FedEx delivery driver was turned away.

In a nearby parking lot, 27-year-old James Sims bantered with former co-workers. He had received word about the closing from Prince about 1 a.m. Talk centered around Friday's scheduled payday and whether the money they are owed would be coming.

Sims, who drove from Harvey to work at the restaurant, said he had been trying to find someone to take his shift this weekend so he could celebrate his birthday.

"I guess I don't have that problem now," he said.

One of Sims co-workers had nice words to say about Prince, while wondering where her next house payment would come from.

"He had us on our game," said Tina Beacham, the mother of four children who drove from Gary to bartend at the restaurant. "He didn't mess around. He cared about this store. When he got the call last night, I hadn't seen someone that emotional.

Prince said he first learned of the closings from a company representative at 12:10 a.m. Tuesday.

"We were working on the store. It was doing quite well," said Prince, who said he had been the store's general manager for about a year. "I was doing my part."

Janice Minton-Kutz, vice president of the Calumet City Chamber of Commerce, stopped by after hearing the news. She said the closing isn't just about Calumet City, but is indicative of a much larger issue.

"Our entire economy is in crisis now," said Minton-Kutz, who is also a licensed real estate broker in Indiana and Illinois with Coldwell Banker's Lansing office. She said her home sales have dropped by about 50 percent.

"Someone is going to have to do something because this is just the tip of the iceberg," Minton-Kutz said.