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Hilltop Closes Its Doors For Good

SAUGUS (CBS) --- Sunday, the Hilltop Steakhouse will close its doors for good.

After more than 50 years in business, the famed landmark restaurant on Route 1 is going out of business, citing a decline in customers.

"Over the past several years we have seen a dramatic change in the volume of our business. Tremendous efforts have been made over this period by our management and staff with the cooperation of the town to make improvements and overcome this decline," the letter from the restaurant to the town said. "However, the continued change in the demographics of our customer base, increased competition and the increased cost to run this fabulous landmark has been too great to overcome."

The letter noted that Hilltop's Butcher Shop in Weymouth will continue to operate.

The steakhouse had been featured in the past as one of the best steakhouses in the country.

Leading up to Sunday, lines stretched outside the restaurant and customers waited more than three hours to be seated.

Midday Sunday, the wait was 2 hours long.

The restaurant also reported patrons were stealing menus and other items from the Hilltop - such as copper pots - leading up to Sunday.

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The Hilltop Steakhouse's life-sized ceramic cattle have been an iconic sight along Route 1 for years. (Credit: WBZ-TV)

Late last week, the Hilltop started giving out paper menus to prevent thefts.

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