Goodbye, Fridays? TGI Fridays locations face closures

The popular chain is the latest restaurant to falter in recent years.

TGI Friday's
TGI Friday's | Bruce Bennett/GettyImages

Picture yourself on a Friday night in 2015. You've just left your activity for the evening and are deciding where to grab a bite. Instead of going with a fast-food option, you choose TGI Fridays — the hot spot for late-night eats.

Flash forward to now, and locations have become scarce. The quest to find what was once a popular place for food and good vibes has become an even bigger challenge. And to make matters worse, the company abruptly closed nearly 50 more locations this past week.

How did we get here?

As mentioned in reports about other restaurant closures, many of these chains have struggled to stay afloat since the pandemic and amid inflation. Many people who used to dine out now prefer eating at home or opt for places like Panda Express or Chipotle instead.

The result is that chains like TGI Fridays are struggling to get patrons in seats, leading to closures and possibly bankruptcy. Though there hasn’t been an official announcement yet, reports suggest that a bankruptcy filing is likely, with the restaurant seeking a buyer to take over parts of the business.

Where are these closures?

For those unaware, the recent wave of closures started in January, when the company abruptly shut down 36 locations. To date, nearly 100 locations have closed since the start of the year, affecting states like California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Missouri, and Ohio.

The best way to know if your local TGI Fridays are still open is by using the restaurant locator on their website. And hopefully, you still have one nearby to enjoy your favorites.

If this is truly the beginning of the end of TGI Fridays, thank you for the great memories that you provided on the weekends.

Will you miss TGI Fridays? Is this a place that you currently or used to visit?