The Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation announced Thursday it's closing the Lookout Kitchen restaurants in five state parks at the end of September.
After the closures, the state parks with restaurant spaces will offer grab-and-go options from local vendors until a new restaurant operator can take over.
The Lookout Kitchens were located at Roman Nose, Robbers Cave, Lake Murray, Beavers Bend and Quartz Mountain state parks. Sequoyah State Park also has space for a restaurant, but its Lookout Kitchen had been closed since a fire in late 2024.
Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation spokesperson Kaitlyn Rivas declined to provide an explanation for the closures. She neither confirmed nor denied whether the closure is related to unpaid royalty and utility payments, which caused a temporary closure in July.
That closure only lasted a week before Lookout Kitchen agreed to pay the state nearly $300,000 in installments.
Lookout took over the operation of state park restaurants after the previous operator, Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen, allegedly swindled millions of taxpayer dollars.
The tourism department will issue a request for proposals, allowing potential restaurant vendors to outline their plans and expected costs. That request will be open for at least 60 days, but the department plans to get the state park restaurants back up and running "as soon as possible."
Lookout took over the operation of state park restaurants in 2023 after the previous operator, Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen, allegedly swindled millions of taxpayer dollars.
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