The owners of Yeto’s, which serves Southern-Italian fusion food in Biddeford, announced Wednesday that they will close the restaurant at the end of the month.

Yeto’s, a popular Southern Italian restaurant in Biddeford, will close at the end of the December. Photo by Ray Routhier

Bryan Casale and Jackie Hardin said in a Facebook post that they also plan to close D&G, the deli and gelato shop they opened earlier this year, because of a combination of factors, including being overworked and understaffed as they deal with ongoing pandemic challenges.

Yeto’s, a popular Main Street spot, is at an impasse because it is too busy for its current size, Casale and Hardin said. They are unable to expand in the current location and “turn away as many tables as we seat and often have takeout wait times up to two hours.” D&G is in its “awkward freshman stage,” and they have been unable to give it the attention it deserves and needs, they said.

The decision to close came after realizing they would continue to be overworked, overtired and understaffed if they tried to expand or move Yeto’s.

Yeto’s opened in February 2018 with a menu that reflects their family heritages. Casale’s Italian family is from New York, while Hardin’s family comes from Alabama and Kentucky. The name of the restaurant was inspired by a story from the video game “Legend of Zelda.”

In their announcement, Casale and Hardin said the past year was challenging as they dealt with “inconsistent supply chain issues, price fluctuations, difficult and often rude customers, pandemic fears, broken equipment, staffing issues and long hours.”

“We have loved our time at Yeto’s and D&G and don’t regret it. We are extremely proud to have started with nothing and built two successful businesses,” they wrote. “We’ve had the pleasure of working with a great staff, many of whom we consider dear friends. We absolutely love Biddeford and this community. But it’s time to recognize the toll that everything has had on us mentally and physically.”