The Israeli restaurant chain Boker Tov has officially been declared bankrupt. The ruling was issued by the commercial court in Antwerp this week, marking the end of the company that had already been under pressure due to financial hardship and a wave of hostility linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Owners Tom Sas and Lori Dardikman had hinted at trouble in early January with an Instagram post reading: “SHABBAT SHALOM. We’re gonna take a break!”, adding that they would continue with private catering services for the time being.
The news came after months of turmoil. Several branches of the chain had already closed in the fall, including those in Ghent, on Eilandje and in the Zuid district of Antwerp. In late September, Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever had shown public support by visiting one of the remaining locations, at a time when Boker Tov was undergoing judicial reorganization.
Victim of Boycotts and Threats
The owners have publicly linked their business’s downfall to increasing boycotts and hate messages in the context of the war in Gaza. “It started with people giving us the finger and writing bad Google reviews, but at one point we were getting 1,000 hate messages per hour and even death threats,” Tom Sas told local media in October.
At the time, the couple was considering a relaunch of their last remaining location in the Doornelei (Markgrave district), possibly under a new name and concept. “The core values of Boker Tov will remain, but the Tel Aviv identity has become too difficult, too controversial, and too limiting,” Sas said, mentioning a potential Ibiza-inspired direction.
However, that final location has been closed for several weeks now. The court has now officially declared the company insolvent and appointed curator Guy Vanhoucke to handle the case.
Shortly after the news broke on Thursday evening, the owners posted a message on Instagram thanking supporters: “We’re doing well. Today is not the end of our love story… we’re just starting a new chapter!”
