Vapiano, an Italian restaurant in downtown Bethesda, announced earlier this month that it is closed for business.

Vapiano is a cafeteria-style Italian chain that started in Hamburg, Germany and has locations as far apart as Mexico and South Korea. It’s known for its ordering system—customers get a “Vapiano Card” when they enter the restaurant that they then use to track each purchase. Every time customers order something, they scan the card to log the purchase and then scan it again as they leave to pay the cashier.

Vapiano announced its closing quietly, with just a sign on its door.

“We made the decision with regret in order to concentrate on our other operations in D.C. on M Street and on H Street,” said Phil Sermon, Managing Director of Vapiano.

Some students said they were surprised at its closing.

“It seems like they get a ton of business so I don’t know why it would be closing,” junior Cristina Valianatos said.

Kapnos Taverna, a Greek restaurant based in D.C., will fill the vacancy on Hampden Lane, according to D.C. area restaurant critic Don Rockwell’s website.

However, Kapnos Taverna will not confirm this rumor. When asked whether Kapnos will fill the vacancy, Kapnos Taverna company official Jennifer Williams said the company had “no information to share at this time.”

For now, at least, the lot will remain empty.

“Vapiano was always a place I wanted to go when eating in Bethesda,” Valianatos said. “I’ll definitely miss it.”