Operator of Big Top Eats Food Court at Circus Circus Files Bankruptcy

By Scott Roeben, on April 27 2026
2 min read 1 comment
Las Vegas

The company that operates the food court at Circus Circus, FGB Big Top LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 16, 2026. “FGB” stands for Feel Good Brands.

Feel Good Brands also operates the food courts at TI and Excalibur.

The bankruptcy coincides with rumblings of a recent kerfuffle at the Circus Circus food court, and there ain’t no drama like food court drama, so LFG.

This sign at the Circus Circus food court is widely considered one of the least ambiguous in Las Vegas.

Apparently, the Circus Circus food court was shut down for a day in mid-April due to past-due rent.

The food court was reopened a day later because bankruptcy provides protection from creditors (like Circus Circus) trying to collect debts, at least temporarily. It’s called an “automatic stay.”

Business has slowed dramatically at the Circus Circus food court because, reportedly, business has slowed dramatically at Circus Circus. As hotel occupancy goes, so goes food court revenue.

It’s fairly common for casino resorts to let third parties operate their food courts. For example, Clique Hospitality operates the Proper Eats food court at Aria.

When casino companies operate their own food courts, they get to keep more of the revenue, but there’s a reason casinos farm out their food courts, and it’s very technical: Operating food courts is a pain in the ass. It comes from the Latin, “Cauponas administrare dolor est in ano.”

Chatter is Circus Circus was ready to seize control of its Big Top Eats food court, but that’s now on hold.

The biggest downside of a casino operating its own food court is it would require union labor, which eats up thin margins and causes prices to escalate and your cheese pizza ends up costing $61 (looking at you Caesars Palace food court).

The Big Top Eats food court opened in Nov. 2021 to much hoopla. Well, it was “much hoopla” for a food court; everything is relative.

The Circus Circus food court now has Burger King, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Pick Up Stix.

Honestly, that’s pretty fluid. The last time we visited the Circus Circus food court, Pick Up Stix wasn’t open. At lunchtime. Business levels and such, we trust.

As they say in the business, during our visit, the food court was not overly peopled.

Will Circus Circus take back its food court from Feel Good Brands? Will the brands offered in the food court change? What’s the difference between a food court and a food hall? Does everyone know food courts are the new buffets? (The Circus Circus food court was once a buffet space.) Can a creditor collect debts in the form of fried chicken? If something happens to the Circus Circus food court, where will people go to satisfy their drunchies? Will Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (also operated by Feel Good Brands at Circus Circus) be affected?

Of all these rhetorical questions, we only know the answer to the last one. Krispy Kreme is owned by a subsidiary of Feel Good Brands called Westward Dough Operating Company. You’re good.

People sometimes tease Circus Circus for its mass market appeal, but the food court there is clean and generally satisfying (when the concepts are open).

There’s more drama yet to come, and you know we’ll be all over it like schmear on a bagel.