The Rise And Fall Of TGI Fridays | Rise And Fall

[@Jfromes1]

What happened to TGI Friday's is what seems to have happened to every once popular chain restaurant: quality went down and prices went up.

[@Psychology]

Pretty simple, really. And that seems to be happening to many restaurants these days.

[@tranger4579]

Exactly

[@sasproductions701]

@@Psychology this is whats happening at every resturant. there is no uniqueness these days with food. theres a lot of chicken places that do chicken everything and although its ok, but very poor quality for high price. there is no love in food anymore. even KFC cant decide what are best fries. i remember they did skinned fries and they were disgusting. they changed them and i noticed they sstill have skin on them but much less skin and still to this day they are shit, they dont taste cooked and even when i have asked to cook longer they still tasted like shit. MCdonalds fries are the best inn the world.

[@Psychology]

@@sasproductions701 McDonald's barely gives you any fries. Last time I got a large and there weren't a lot in the container. Add to it that they upped the price and that's a bad combination.

[@sleeping7003]

@@sasproductions701 brother you seem bothered by those KFC fries. I feel you bro. I’m with you on that boss man

[@sunnyboi2461]

I gotta say "The Rise and Fall of" series is one of my favourite things to come watch on YT and just experience nostalgia. Keep it up Business Insider 👍🏼

[@iJamesonTV]

There’s another channel on YT with this “Rise and Fall” series called Company Man. It’s a different vibe but he’s been doing it for a while. You should check him out!

[@sunnyboi2461]

@@iJamesonTV Yeah I've seen a few of his videos before. I tend to like these ones a bit more though cause of the narration and more fast paced explanation of it all but you still get a lot of info.

[@cindy4628]

if you like nostalgia, you'll like the channel "recollection road"

[@Eeze]

@@iJamesonTV I knew someone had the same thought as me! One of my favorite channels!

[@nathangursky4628]

Company man is the absolute best for this

[@rob1113]

In the Mid ‘90s we’d go as a family when I was a kid. I remember it being a “big deal”. My dad would get us all steaks and we’d eat like kings. Wait staff was so nice and friendly I’d be mesmerized. They would remember my parents and make small talk and make jokes. Truly an “experience” Once I was an adult, I went again, maybe in the early 2000’s. I Was not impressed, poor food and a really cold feeling from the staff. Nothing memorable and you could tell it had zero life left in it. Not sure what happened, but I never went back. I will always remember those rare TGIF dinners with my dad though. Even though I know it was cheesy, I’m still thankful…

[@eeeeee217]

You just outgrew. Nothing feels the same as when you were a kid.

[@penguinvic4188]

@@eeeeee217 You may be right here but just the same some businesses have a good and popular business model and instead of merely tinkering with the edges they insist on ****ing with it. Often in the most inane ways. 1. Popular café cuts the very things from its menu that I like. Seems other people liked these too. Later, unpopular café closes. 2. Newsagent goes full woke and removes objectionable material. Seems a lot of people are objectionable. Newsagent goes broke. If I had 10 grand for every successful business that insisted on suicide, I’d be a wealthy man. Occasionally businesses are victims of changing consumer habits but “new management” often devise almost unique ways of killing their businesses. Best example was the Women’s Lib Feminist Cafe (forget the real name). Thought it would be a good idea to charge men a (p*n*s) tax, even managed to upset the trans community. Forgot that many trendy women actually have boyfriends who surprisingly don’t appreciate being fleeced. End came quickly. Blamed bad reviews on toxic masculinity. Seems also that men don’t like being made to wait for meals when females who arrive much later got served first and meals delivered before them.

[@MsMinoula]

Could it be the specific restaurant? I don't know, it's a place I alway enjoy here in Athens, Greece, even though the friendly waiters part feels really unnatural 😂 .

[@USAads2023]

Friday’s become expensive, 19$ for a burger. Cheap for a restaurant, expensive for a bar

[@tsu177]

And its not even good quality food either

[@iWrestleUSA]

19$ is expensive for a restaurant burger

[@timbohouston]

The same thing happened to Blockbuster. Their answer to decreasing profits was to raise prices. Wrong answer! In my businesses I raised prices this year successfully. Customers would not have understood if it wasn't obvious that I had no choice, because they see firsthand their increased price at the pump.

[@xwtek3505]

Bar was supposed to be expensive, right?

[@BearAnkles]

In ireland its incredibly expensive too

[@mauricehopes9105]

as someone who's a decent home cook when I pay for food it has to be one of 3 things. Fast and cheap, stuff I can't make, or really tasty. When TGIFridays had real chefs cooking it was tasty. Not cheap, or stuff I couldn't make but tasty so I was ok with it. Eventually they started freezing and prepackaging everything and I could taste the difference. Now i avoid chains like fridays, chilis, and applebees because the food is crap, and for those prices I'd much rather go to a restaurant that has an actual chef cooking good food.

[@bookwormbon482]

Any advice on how to get better at cooking please?

[@mauricehopes9105]

@@bookwormbon482 3 things. 1) get good tools. Good cookware makes things soo much easier. I'd start with a good chiefs knife, a good skillet, and a quality chopping board. You can build from there. But those 3 will get your really far. 2) learn a few tasty staples. I'd recommend an egg dish, a good main dish and a good side dish. For example learn to make a good omelet, a side like mashed potatoes or brussel sprouts, and a good protein dish like chicken, steak, or pork. 3) go learn more. Between cook books, youtube, and the internet you can find almost any recipe or technique you want to learn. Lots of it is free. All you need are time and the desire to try it. it may seem like a lot. but cooking is a fundamental skill. And if you get good at it you can save money, always feed yourself, and decide how healthy or unhealthy you want to eat.

[@ghosty4]

Applebee's is the worst of the three! I have no idea how they have stayed in business this long. They must have signed a deal with the devil himself.

[@ashkitt7719]

@@mauricehopes9105 And here I am using Mercer knives and Ikea 365 cookware and Oxo cutting boards. Anyway I really ought to cook more.

[@maemilev]

*They make the mistake of reducing portion sizes and increase prices!*

[@SpaceRanger187]

Every where is doing it.Prices of food is going to sky rocket next year. Between prices and shortages next year is going to be crazy.. They are going to drive our economy into the ground

[@kpNov23]

@@SpaceRanger187 chill

[@user-ky9ou5dz9q]

@@SpaceRanger187 no they aren't lol. I work in the industry. The price increases are mild at best and certainly doesn't negate wage increases. People will have more money to go out, which means more business for restaurants.

[@henrylam92]

On top of quality going down

[@adamwilliams2874]

That’s all people really care about. A good solid menu . Put whatever tacky stuff up on the wall then

[@ThePresentTimeNow]

Friday’s used to be HOT about 15 years ago. The portion sizes greatly decreased and even the taste is different. The potato skins are now half the size and taste like they were heated up in the kitchen vs being cooked like back then. The ribs used to be good, Jack Daniels chicken, all of it. Now, they’re all closing, customer service is horrible, and the food is sub par. I went to Friday’s recently for my free dessert for my birthday, the container was dirty, customer service was poor, and I was disgusted because there was something on my dessert. That sealed the deal. I will never return to a Friday’s.

[@heyheytaytay]

who tf goes there for their birthday? Are you in your 70s? XD

[@anmol3457]

@@heyheytaytay who cares man it's a free dessert

[@johniii8147]

Everything comes in Frozen now a reheated. They don't actually make anything there anymore and the lack of quality shows. Might as well go get a frozen dinner and heat it up for what 20% of cost.

[@joe97nsx]

I made that decision 10 years ago. The food was horrible. Have never been back.

[@raymonddillon3016]

I worked as the second successive head host for the UK's first TGI Friday's in 1986 that opened in Birmingham. Great days back then. Worked with some amazing people and met incredible guests too. Ten dips and nine dips were my favourite dishes. Purnudderbutter finger pie was my favourite dessert. Overall most of the menu was pretty good at the time. The atmosphere was super, especially when birthdays were sung out loud by the dub-dubs, such wonderful times. Having queues waiting to get inside the restaurant was a novelty in those days, Friday's made a big impact on the public in terms of welcoming people to a unique eating establishment of the mid-1980s. The 1980s TGI Friday's was the best of times for meeting, eating and drinking. In the 2020's the magic is non-existent however, not all is lost. It will take a real personality, an individual who can bring the magic through greeting and making one and all feel special again. Ahh, well, who knows!

[@rubenlopez3364]

I had always thought either TGI Fridays or Chilli's wouldn't survive the 2010s and honestly I'm surprised Chili's ended up making it

[@swagger897]

They rebranded and changed everything. TGIF did not.

[@johniii8147]

Chili's got it's act togeather in the togo business. That's where a big part of their money comes from now.

[@Kw1222O1]

They both are still alive i work as a server in one and let me tell you they are very flawed i work at one in atlanta and people got transfered over from another one that just burned down covid struck a huge blow to them to it may just be atlanta but the management is flawed also the food and drinks are ridiculously priced especially alcohol and since covid they closed their karaoke the one thing that made it different from an applebees or chilis

[@Kw1222O1]

@@johniii8147 to go is also a big part of it tgif to go its chaotic and crazy and half the time servers or host have to do to go because they cant hire anyone for it

[@mgore90]

Yeah. The first time we visited America (when I was 8), the first restaurant we went to was a Chili's. Everyone hated it (long wait to be seated, long wait for food to arrive, cold, tasteless food, and then made to hurry back our drinks for the next customers to be seated -- just horrible -- terrible first impression of American dining culture). TGI was pretty unremarkable, but decent enough food.

[@getoffmydarnlawn]

We went to a Friday's probably 17 or so years ago because of a gift card I received for some promotion I can't even remember. We had to go a bit out of our way to find a location, but once we did the most remarkable thing about the experience was how unremarkable it was. Generic chain food.

[@Manganization]

Exactly. It was something you could've gotten for cheaper and better elsewhere. Where I'm at, Ruby Tuesdays when it was still around was right next to Friday's and it was often the preferred choice since it was better than Friday's bland food.

[@colecole3352]

Then you just got unlucky. Even 17 years ago. I was in hospitality for 25years. Worked for Fridays for 5 of those. Even tho now they are horrible .Just about every step of service that is used now in any restaurant or bar you go to now.Was introduced or invented by Fridays! Fact! Even the flare you see in Vegas, Ny and others around the world.I worked at a couple Friday. You couldn't even get into without a jacket.They had a location in FL that was nominated by Playboy magazine as the #1 place on the US to go for a date or meet people.

[@colecole3352]

@@Manganization LOL no way.Thats why there are no Tuesdays left and they filed bankruptcy.

[@Manganization]

@@colecole3352 I mean, McDonalds is still around. Food management isn't necessarily the reason a business goes under.

[@colecole3352]

@@Manganization I was still with them when they changed the quality of the food. We all knew it was the end.

[@juangazol4997]

my first formal job (early 90s) was at a TGIF's spent about 4 or 5 yrs working there, went from host to server and eventually to every station on the kitchen line. Loved the companionship and the decent pay once you factor in the tips. But there was a big divide between the franchise people and the local owners. The local owners were always cutting corners, even stealing (taking huge meals for themselves and their families for free, several times a week, raiding the liquor), changing suppliers from quality ones to crap ones, often for no logical reason. They always knew when a "surprise" inspection was coming from the franchise office, so a week before they would keep us all on after closing time scrubbing and cleaning till 3 or 4 am, with no additional pay (work was scarce at the time, so they could replace you easily) and they would buy the right quality ingredients. Portions were always being cut, taking an ounce here, an ounce there, etc. Bunch of crooks the lot of them. After I quit, I still visited as I liked the food (the kitchen staff were all very dedicated and professional, despite management), but the portions became smaller and smaller, the quality tanked and the prices were always high, to the point where it became more expensive to order a small, tasteless burger there than to order a decent steak at a good steakhouse. I revisited the place just last month, after about 5 yrs. It was worse than ever. Despite the place being about at 1/3 occupancy, order took forever, they did not bring the appetizers until the very end (after the main course) and only because I reminded them very kindly (dont mistreat waiters ever, been in their shoes) about them. My burger was hideous, tasteless carboard palp instead of meat, "blue cheese" sauce runny, bland, looked more like milk than sauce, wings dry, tiny and meatless. Horrible food in general, especially after I had spent yrs in the very same kitchen and knew what the genuine stuff should taste like.

[@Larkin420]

How can an owner steal?

[@jacshaariselamat9186]

@@Larkin420 maybe the manager steal

[@norwegianblue2017]

It seems all of these once-decent chain restaurants went downhill. I remember Tony Roma's and Claim Jumper were pretty good in the 1990s.

[@ntlespino]

@@Larkin420 using up resources instead of using them to make sales

[@venom74799]

@@norwegianblue2017 Also steak n ale and bennegians.

[@BatCaveOz]

These legacy venues don't seem to understand that their competition is no longer other bars or restaurants... they are competing with Tinder and Social Media. There are now easier ways to hook up, and their food doesn't look good on Instagram. RIP

[@gary7846]

yeah, people no longer hooking up in that kind of bar. not only that new generation barely meet up at all due to social media. club is better for hooking anyway. now it's just an expensive generic bar

[@Pinky-lg3lz]

LOL back in the 90's, my sister was being all pissy and declared that she and her family would NOT be attending our Thanksgiving get together. Rather than fuss with all the cooking and whatnot, the rest of us family went to TGI; I had fajitas. To date, that was the most memorable Thanksgiving dinner I've ever had. We had a friggin blast!

[@AmazingJayB51]

I went to TGI once for Thanksgiving with my mother and sister. One of the coldest Thanksgivings in Philly, it was below 20! Later after we eat we went to my grandparents. I think I had Fajitas too.

[@MooseBme]

!(: Mmmmm fajitas aaaaahhhahhahhhhh ;)!

[@theathjr]

Near & Dear. I celebrated my 21st birthday @ TGI 's in Fresno Ca 28 years ago dang im old Thank you for the history lesson.

[@Scruffed]

In Bolivia (Cochabamba), it opened some 5-6 odd years ago and they seemed to be doing alright, they had a very large venue and they were often close to full, despite their prices being a lot higher than the competition. At some point they decided that the few somewhat affordable options on their menu (though still more expensive than the competition) should have their price increased by 50%, so I stopped going as often, and the few times I went their clientele was much diminished, maybe 3-5 tables had customers at lunchtime. Then the pandemic came, they decided to not be on the most popular food delivery apps, and I wasn't surprised at all to see they closed.

[@markcollins2666]

Here in Manila, Philippines, same deal. Way high prices, for what I knew to be prefab food. Maybe 5 tables occupied, and maybe 3 at the bar. We just kept on walking.

[@Larry]

Whenever I think of TGI Friday, I think of waiting forever for my food, coke glasses that have been washed so many times, you can no longer see through them, and ridiculously expensive prices.

[@chiragarora2827]

Non-American here. I always thought TGIF was just a way of expressing joy on Fridays for the working class.

[@nickchan6599]

It's also a restaurant chain in the US.

[@anmol3457]

nah man there are tgif outlets in India too

[@chiragarora2827]

@@anmol3457 and what makes you think I live in India?

[@per4n]

@@chiragarora2827 your name is Indian

[@chiragarora2827]

@@per4n lol why should that mean I live in India, or was even born there? Your name looks Soviet. So you could be from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, apart from Russia.

[@joelowens5211]

I am in commercial real estate. Lots of these companies fail because they change what made them successful or get bought out by equity companies. They streamline menu's and take off what was special to them only and was excellent and replace with mediocre food and inflated prices and think consumers will not notice. The brand then slowly starts dying off one location by another. The reason is there are new brands starting up all the time that are hungry to be noticed and will offer amazing food for affordable prices to gain traction and market share. The businesses around for awhile do not update inside and out so look old. Chili's is another brand tanking right now. They use to have awesome burrito's and other menu items and decided to take 80% of the items OFF the menu a couple years ago. They said they wanted to go back to what made them famous in the beginning. Problem is 40 years ago they were the only rib and burger place around and now they have like 10 of those in a 5 mile radius. These corporations frankly are just not that smart and easy to see why they are going away. Steak N Shake same way used to be really good and they are on life support trying to turn the brand around.

[@CrustyChucky]

I recently went to the one in Coral Springs and it was a nightmare. No one at the door to seat you, unbussed tables everywhere, not enough staff for the meager guests that were there. I walked out after 20 min with no waitress to take our order. Vowing never to return. RIP TGI Friday.

[@WomanOnTopOnline]

There’s a TGI Fridays where I live in London, UK. It’s located inside a large shopping centre. No one goes there anymore. It was big back in the 2000s, but it is now severely outdated and young kids don’t see it as cool anymore.

[@kamanama3671]

I both worked at and went to the Fridays near me. One of the best salads I’ve ever eaten in my life was a chef salad . The dressing was so good that I took the garnish of leaf lettuce is that they used to surround the bowl tore them up and asked for more dressing. I will never forget that salad. It was so beautiful to look at as well

[@RickyRicardo03]

I used to work at Friday’s, from 2018-2021, and it was either super slow or supper pact. It was fun sometimes, but honestly management was a joke and the patrons stopped coming in. But it did have a great happy hour 🍻

[@RickyRicardo03]

@Green Gator lol I’m not sure, but I do know they burnt a lot of there stuff and didn’t care how it looked going out

[@sam-iz6cr]

They only spent 30 seconds covering the rebrand … I wish I could have seen more that 63rd and 1st bar looked hella groovy

[@ajones8008]

I used to be a server at a TGI Fridays in Wilmington NC around 2012, the manager (Brian Johnson) gave away free wings on Friday nights as a happy hour promotion. Needless to say it attracted the worst clientele, just like a food pantry or soup kitchen. I quit after a year, and the franchise went out of business shortly after I left.

[@thomascrator8183]

Yeah, when the customer base is dark, your not gonna make any money

[@murrayburke7746]

Fridays’ business model failed because it failed to pay employees a living wage. When you aren’t loyal to your team, the team has no reason to be loyal to the brand. Fridays is in constant training mode and can’t build teamwork with a revolving door of staff. When you have constant churn among your staff, you cannot provide a consistent and high quality experience - in food and in service. Mistakes get made more often by inexperienced staff. If this video seems heavy on the history and short on recent details, there’s a reason: The investment companies that now privately own Fridays don’t publicly release business information because they don’t have to…or want to. The hopes of an IPO in 2020, died with the pandemic. Now, nobody’s talking much about the health of the brand. The declining health of the casual dining category is well known.

[@SeekoGT]

One distinctive feature I always notice about these restaurants is the amount of decorative trash that posted up all over the place. It was always a little confusing to me.

[@rayray117]

Last I went TGI, the food felt like it was cooked from frozen, like those oven dinners.

[@jplbrass]

The last time I went to TGIF, I was disappointed that my server was only wearing 15 pieces of flair. Seemed like she was just doing the bare minimum.

[@heavenlywells3818]

Haa😂

[@thomascrator8183]

I worked for TGI from 1994-2004 and I know for a fact I am the direct reason this multi billion dollar company declined. It was a case of iver serving, a drunk lady and a 14 year old boy riding his bike at 2am. If anyone wants the full story let me know.

[@jackuzi8252]

In the 90s and 00s, Friday's was a fun place to go. Pretty good food for a reasonable price, and a nice selection of good beers. Plus interesting decor. In 2010 I became a parent and took on a long commute, so my "going out" days got dialed way back. I was surprised to notice Friday's locations closing down in recent years, and always wondered what happened. Between this video and users' comments (i.e. they cut corners on the food and it turned to crap), now I know.

[@jumpingjeffflash9946]

When the TGIF opened at the Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough, Mass. it was a great hangout, a friend met his wife there. Food was good, atmosphere was fun, it got even better when they disallowed smoking inside. Other places won out, we got older and went elsewhere. When I went in in early 2010's it was obvious they'd cheaped out, the food sucked, it was reheated/fried frozen food that was way over priced. They changed the decor, took away the red/white striped outfits of staff. It just went out of business 2 weeks ago.

[@AMNG1994]

Tried TGI Fridays some 15 years ago because it was the most expensive restaurant in a nearby mall and we were deathly curious why it was charging so much. It was a complete meh.

[@LisaF777]

In London we still call it TGI's. Never heard of anyone saying 'Fridays'. Never even realised the name change

[@SevenHunnid]

I quit my job of 2 years so i can smoke weed on my KZbin channel full time lmao

[@Manganization]

@@nicklauschristofonoXXII Caribbean here, we also call it TGI.

[@WomanOnTopOnline]

They DO call it TGI Fridays in London. I live there, I know!

[@HealthyAndrew]

What does TGI stand for? Thought it meant Thank God it's Friday

[@Manganization]

@@HealthyAndrew It's TGIF and yes, you're right.

[@PHILIPWATSON82]

The UK 🇬🇧 Loves TGI Fridays

[@RedPandaFRANK]

First off, still a huge fan and customer of this franchise. Always have always will be. All I gotta say is TGFF....Thank God For Fridays!!

[@jamessutter6700]

Had a lotta good times at Fridays. High school dates and going there after Chorus shows and Drama/Theatre shows, almost always as a twenty top...

[@bellanoche6116]

Yup, we used to go after school dances in the late 1990s. Good times!

[@stewdun2426]

We ate at the restaurant for almost 15-years - and this interview MISSED one key element - the food quality went to hell. WHY? Ask a store manager - it was real shocking - they no longer make anything. For example - in 1989, at our TGI Fridays we loved the chicken fingers and honey mustard sauce. Store manager knew us - how was dinner he asked - well that honey mustard sauce was and always is - just amazing. WHY I would love to have the receipe. OH no problem - he came back from the office area with a photocopy from their notebook (cook book) - here you go - as he laughed - it was for 5-gallons. NO PROBLEM - easy to divide. FST FORWARD - asked the manager about the honey mustaard sauce - you know I have a copy of the cookbook from the Florida Store - as this tastes different, COOOK BOOK? Make it? Wow, he said, this must have been many years ago - we get it pre-made in a bag - squeeze it out!!!!!!!!!!!!! The famous and I mean famous potatoe skins loaded - talked to a Central FL store owner about how they made them. Scooped out the baked potatoes - threw it out - then … throw it out? Yes, we dont have any use for mashed potatoes - not on the menue back then. NOW THEY are - PRE-MADE. So Fridays went to premade/prefrozen - re-heat process. We were at a TN store - asked about their potatoes skins loaded - the waitress asked - as she leaned over - quietly “have you had them recently?” Yes back in NC. I dont recommend them. Ok. She later said - people who have them from years past - are ALWAYS disappointed - they get upset - and it runs the mood and meal. We said the NC store - next to Duke Hospital, Duke Univ - didnt last long at all. We thought the poor food taste was the store. NOPE. I dont care what they say - oh you cant differenitate from …. BS - crap partial or premade food is - POOR business.

[@livelaughluvdisc]

honey mustard is my absolute favorite dressing- please send me the recipe! lol i'm not even joking

[@stewdun2426]

@@livelaughluvdisc 1/4-cup yellow mustard, 1/4 cup Kayro syrup (light), 1/2-cup mayo, 2-tlbs of white Vinegar, 1/4-cup Clover Honey. - dividing the massive quanitity down - the best I could do is - 2-shakes of cayenne pepper. YOU MUST use Clover honey, and plain Yellow mustard. PERSONALY we changed to 1/3-cup of mustard - but the prior is Friday’s original (divided down). NOTE: it will NOT stay for more than a day. I thought - what the heck - I will make a batch and use it for everything - NOPE - goes to hell the next day. I wisk the mayo and mustard - first. Then add the rest Enjoy - its our fav

[@ericdaniel323]

I drank a lot of happy hour beers at that Erwin Drive location while I waited for my wife to finish her shift at Duke on my day off. But Bull McCabe's wasn't that far and actually had good food.

[@thatxonexguy5438]

@@stewdun2426 thank you!!!! Also happy new year!

[@joesantamaria5874]

The TGI Friday’s in my neighborhood closed down about two years ago, I couldn’t believe that dinosaur was there in the first place. I never even considered going there. The local scene is full of independent restaurants and bars serving up inspired fresh food. TGi’s fajitas served with tortillas made a month ago in some industrial bakery in Peoria or some random place appeal to nobody these days. Adapt or die, and they chose to die.

[@heyheytaytay]

Like most restaurants in decline, it was the food quality that suffered first....

[@adamwilliams2874]

Almost every single time , baffles me that restaurants don’t work on food

[@Jfromes1]

Yep. Seems to be the story with basically every formally successful chain: Increase prices and decrease quality.

[@Scrowlock12]

I was a bus boy for 7 years at TGI Fridays. I got in around the start of the decline in 2007. When I started, all of the women working there looked like models. It got worse every year. I just went back to the one I worked at recently and it was like looking at the ruins of a once great civilization. There was no life or warmth to it. Made me slightly depressed.

[@mightymulatto3000]

Like every restaurant the quality of their food declined. Panera Bread is a shadow of their former selves. I remember I would "treat myself" to Panera or TGIF. It was much better when full time adults were doing the cooking. Now it's primarily gangs of part time kids and the food prep has changed accordingly. Business' response to certain mandates made it this way.

[@TheToxiicLover]

jokes on you. just because a kid is serving you the food doesn't mean a kid was in the back "kitchen" preparing your food. which is most likey a foreigner making less then the kids up front.

[@mightymulatto3000]

@@TheToxiicLover Unlikely given adults working 20 hours a week can't really maintain apartments, cars &ct themselves with one part time job. Adults used to be able to do this before the health care mandates. Back when Panera actually had a deli with people slicing meat I'd see adult foreigners doing that work. The food was top notch. Not so much anymore.

[@johniii8147]

Yeah their food is pretty awful now as they expanded. It all comes into the store frozen or in a can and they heat it up. They use to be good, but no longer. Now just overpriced reheated crap.

[@nunyabusiness8538]

spot on. miss having people who cared in the slightest bit about making my meal

[@tonypittsburgh9]

1987 Fridays had a great menu with items made in the establishment, and now they buy everything from nestle, frozen. You are getting a TV dinner that has been plated.

[@qalidurut7249]

america's greatest cultural achievement tgi fridays

[@tipitii7388]

When I hear TGI Fridays, I think of disgusting foods.

[@Lyniquechunte]

I loved this place!! Best damn drinks at a home style restaurant I’ve ever had!! The pink punk cosmo was my favorite !! And NO!! I’m not an alcoholic I barely drink but when I was at TGI Friday’s I’d get an nice cocktail

[@vasource757]

Sadly 63rd+1st are closed permanently as of June this year.

[@BlazinDutches]

Will Always be number one on my list. Jack daniels Whiskey glaze has a place in my heart.

[@johnnycarrotheid]

Theyv been playing the "American Diner" thing here for years, changed nothing, and kept up the sky high prices with poor/average food. Glasgow, Scotland. The one closest to me looks empty any time I go past, the city centre one I can see being busy, largely due to location. Honestly, theres far far better out there in many restaurants for half the price. Could go cheap and cheerful and "China Buffet King" is a lot cheaper with fresher food. Which is crazy lol. How it still survives is lost on me

[@Xonline9]

guy who invented tgifridays: I certainly wasn't intending to open a singles ba... narrator: the single bar idea totally paid off

[@mahouho]

Seeing this video and watching it really surprised me almost? Perhaps it is naïvety, but the local one here has always been great and is constantly improving. It had a dip in quality a few years ago, but I prefer going to there now over many other local places. They constantly are trying new dishes at my location, really friendly with customers, incredibly clean and modern facility, and more. Only downside is their removal of endless apps, as that was a favorite of my friends and I when we went out. Saddened to see others don’t have the same experience, and hope other locations can improve like mine. I live in smaller town in northern Maryland for reference.

[@singbike5832]

I used to LOVE TGI Fridays. The stuff on the walls, the stained glass, & their chicken fingers. My parents worked there in the '80s, and they said everything was made from scratch, the menu was like a book, and they had high service standards. The Fridays in our local mall got "revamped" - they changed the atmosphere to some kind of boring, streamlined "modern" and the food was terrible. It's now closed. Really a shame what happened to it, similar to Ruby Tuesdays.

[@fftechsupport]

Indonesian here, in indonesia, TGI Fridays is actually considered as a restaurant rather than a diner, it only opens in malls and high end area's

[@irinacarradine4552]

TGI Fridays was a good restaurant. Had a beginning and ending. At times the lines were long outside waiting to be seated. D menu was good and affordable. But sadly to say they ended up losing customers.

[@rspen2142]

...and, without customers, you don't have a business!!!

[@markcollins2666]

Well, yeah, the menu WAS good and affordable. Until it wasn't. The comments here tell the rest of the story.

[@edwardklein5770]

Back in the early to mid 90's, TGIF was my wife and I'd goto place for dinner when we felt like going out. Then sometime in the late 90's? They completely changed the menu and went in with all the Jack Daniel's branded crap. Tried a few things, but pretty much everything we enjoyed eating there was gone from the menu. Haven't even though about them in over 20 years until seeing this video show up in my suggestions. Too bad what they did to themselves.

[@LESTR97]

I had no idea TGI Friday's was so innovative. Makes me wonder what other brands I took for granted as a kid.

[@kennedychong8492]

There was a time, my family dine-in TGI 5-6time per month even though the item on menu is abit pricey, but the portion of the food does justified the cost. We stopped going TGI when they reduced the food portion.

[@WilmasKitchen]

TGIF is my fav resto. Remembering one of the first yt channel I subs when I started my channel. Stay connected.

[@Nothingatall1984]

How freakin interesting…. I used to frequent TGIF as young 19 year old woman… it was my first intro to the bar scene and being with older women, they never carded me. I did not know the history behind it. I just perfected the sizzling chicken and cheese entree they served b/c we don’t have one in Birmingham anymore. Interestingly enough, it closed due to sexual harassment.

[@BillyN31]

I use to drink there all the time. Lol

[@moha1911]

Fridays Applebee's chilli's all closed here now

[@TheNewgreatlife]

I've never had the opportunity to go to a TGI Fridays, but I've always and still want to go. They have always been far and inbetween in my neck of the woods, but I have noticed that some of those few locations have closed down in recent years. Now the only ones left seem to be in very large cities like Atlanta, Ga or Jacksonville, Fl, and even they have only a handful of locations left. (Jacksonville metro has 1 left).

[@boostedcoupe16]

Food quality became terrible. And service declined 100%

[@davidweaver766]

I would love to know if any Fridays bartenders have won a bartender Olympics without flipping one bottle, or have f that’s something only I can claim. I literally did nothing but gag flair which for me was essentially making fun of flair. I wasn’t overly trying to make fun of it, but my hand eye was terrible and it was mostly a self deprecating performance.

[@johnnyonthespot4375]

A consideration : *The Sharper Image* - Started in 1977 and ran very successfully for 30 years and and then suddenly went bust.

[@Mulerider4Life]

Went a while back. Really still can't tell it differently than Applebee's or Chili's. We prefer Chili's of the three and really don't even go to it very often. We much prefer local places.

[@ambsemlay]

i believe the've started selling some of their food as freezer meals in iceland in the UK.

[@billthompson5644]

I really hope you make a lot of money off these advertisements,because your great video was ABSOLUTELY lambasted with advertisements.

[@luffytaro290]

The best youtube chanel ever

[@charlesroddy4728]

He done hooked all the singles up and had to change from a singles bar to a restaurant.

[@phogetta1]

We had a Fridays that damn near turned into a club early early to mid 2000s. I went back and they fell off hard.

[@rinehardt6837]

Great video they built the first TGI Friday in Myrtle Beach and I think 1995 and then they built another one that opened in 96. And you were in a waiting line everyday. Place was hugely popular. I was a store manager at the local mall. And it was one of the first restaurants surrounding the mall. Pretty soon just like the video set Applebee's moved in then Olive Garden then Texas Roadhouse. In the area where we live there at 1.5 Applebee's restaurants there are now 1. T.G.I.Friday's both are still open in hanging in there but they block the through so many changes. As where Olive Garden is still thriving. Got to say always enjoyed it late 90s early 2000 then they revamp their entire menu and it just wasn't the same

[@elliehansen1345]

I've worked tgifridays for 5 years and I got unemployed, I have a wonderful memory with making new friends and enjoying food, I'LL miss work at the restaurant

[@NYPATRIOTBX]

About 20 years ago my friends and I would occasionally meet up after work, smoke a little wacky tobacci and go to Fridays on central Ave in Yonkers NY, the drinks and food were good and the place was packed on a Thursday evening. Went to a Fridays by me a few months ago, haven’t not been to one in years I was nostalgic for my old usuals, needless the say it sucked horribly, almost unrecognizable menu, no more Jack Daniels chicken and shrimp an the spinach dip was horrible, and to add insult to injury all of the food tasted like it was cooked in the same oil, it all tasted like funnel cake. Fridays needs to switch things up fast or die a miserable death.

[@princesssmileyface91]

I’ve been to a TGI Fridays one time years ago, there was near where I live, I finally went with friends one day, and the day I decided to finally go, they told us they were closing within a few weeks, and that TGI Fridays was there for years, we did the bottomless appetizers and it was good wasn’t too bad.

[@CC-si3cr]

Real talk. I didn't know T.G.I. Fridays or Fridays was still around! I thgt they all closed like Bennigan's. The one chain that should've stayed open bc they had a foothold in the marketplace that separated them from the rest. Bennigan's was Irish themed so they were a destination spot on St. Patrick's Day. Their menu had signature items you could not and still can't get any place else (brownie bottom pie, Monte Cristo sandwich, fried chicken salad, and baked potato soup). I think everything I listed was my go to meal I shared with my cousins every time we went to Bennigan's. T.G.I. Fridays was just like the video stated. It was just like any other casual dining restaurant at the time: Ruby Tuesday, Chili's, Applebee's, and Hop's. All of 'em were interchangeable. Altho, Chili's was known for their appetizers. I love their Southwestern egg rolls, sliders, queso dip, and burgers. I am truly surprised any of these restaurants are still open. The new London location, 63rd+1st, is GORGEOUS! The bar is exquisite! The decor and blue colors are beautiful! This is wonderful concept brought to life. I wish there was something like this stateside. I would definitely check it out!

[@vulcanraven9701]

Chilis still has a lot of restaurants but yeah theyre not seen as highly anymore. Their appetizers and deserts are still 🔥 though

[@dalemr2]

Tgi recently got rid of the JD sauce.. That's the nail in their coffin.

[@cameronlutterman4045]

I use to love Fridays in the mid 2000s. The Jack Daniel's menu was amazing.

[@luisfernan8409]

I love TGI Fridays but it’s way too damn expensive

[@shainahullihen1159]

My TGI Fridays at Park City Center closed. I loved going there even though my family never went shopping after eating ☹️. Mine had a phone booth. I loved their Mac and Cheese, chicken fingers and fries and honey mustard dip and Electric Blue Raspberry Soda, yummy 😋. The only dessert I had there was a birthday cake for my family's birthday. At the birthday party, my little friend had to use the restroom so I accompanied her, then she started playing in the sink water and I told her not to do that because we could have been taken from our parents for being in the restroom alone. That night in the parking lot of the mall, she lost her balloon ☹️. Fun birthday party though. That was my only time getting a balloon from there because other times I was a teen or adult. My friend (a different friend) got sick from their mac and cheese 😢. The last time my parents and I went was on a hot October day in 2013 and my mom's sandal heel broke from a chair being on her sandal 😭. I miss eating at the one at my mall.

[@tjjackson1078]

We had one in our town and one day they just closed their doors and closed up shop. They didn't even informed the workers there. Just a note on the door that said it was closed down. What kind of loyalty is that to your staff. No warning, no special pay/bonus. You show up for work and boom, you no longer had a job.

[@nosoupforyou425]

Home of the free pour.... Hated when ours remodeled to focus on food/family, it Closed about 5 months later.

[@inspectorkemp7439]

Others reason are, food quality is low with many items coming out of the freezer or a can. Most items are very salty/sweet/fatty. I get it, it's a bar salty/sweet/fatty makes you want to drink but, don't try catching a buzz here. Standard 1.5oz pour into into a 20oz glass of mix isnt gonna get you there.

[@Lee247Jamaica]

The fact a TGI Fridays is near my High School and I didn't know it was the only one in my country (🇯🇲), I'm gonna start going their from now on

[@MatthewBaran]

Gave then another shot after years of not eating there, trash. Over priced drinks and mediocre food

[@dianne4867]

My first job was at a TGIFridays where I met my first boyfriend right after highschool. I saw the same store close down last year and It made me a bit sad. I had never worked at a place where the employees felt like a family. I still keep in contact with them 6 years later. I think we will see more restaurants and retail stores close down, because of covid.

[@maxputhoff1436]

I'm juuust old enough to remember when TGIF was a solid bar. It was pretty great at one point.

[@devinclaycomb4436]

I remember when I was young how busy it was. I went there a few days ago not even packed on a Friday night and they still couldn’t keep up with the people that were even there it was pretty bad. It’s crazy because this business wants your business obviously but when they do get it they blow it horribly. It’s like they aren’t ready for a come back.

[@patsysolatzzo2962]

There was nothing better than the French onion soup, cup of dirt, and Oreo madness at the 90s tgif. I can’t even believe that there used to be a madhouse at the TGI fridays inside the penn station in Manhattan! Oh man nobody ever tells you it’s the good old days.

[@Beeandherbirkin]

Their most iconic dish was the Cinnabon Cheesecake! Took Cheesecake Factory an entire decade later to finally make it

[@shainahullihen1159]

@Yourfavoritegayhousewife, ☹️, I love Cinnabon treats. Too bad I missed out on TGI Fridays Cinnabon Cheescake, I bet that tasted really good.

[@Beeandherbirkin]

@@shainahullihen1159 Cheesecake Factory has it! It’s super super rich but god it’s good

[@shainahullihen1159]

​@@Beeandherbirkin, I'd love to try it sometime. My county in PA doesn't have Cheesecake Factory. The last time I saw one was in Virginia Beach in 2011 and 2012 and of course on The Big Bang Theory.

[@mikesilva3868]

Love eating at tgif Fridays🤗

[@shieldyourselfmusic8567]

I started work at Fridays back in 2000 as a very shy teenager. I was there for 5 years and still bartend today. I thank them for bringing me out of my shell which has led me to work all over the world and meet amazing people

[@thecunninlynguist]

food isn't all that good, either. Our Fridays always been a ghost town.

[@freeman10000]

Interesting video even though I have never heard of TGI Fridays... ...I just discovered there is infact a TGI Fridays just a 20 minute drive from where I live 😅 Greetings from Western Australia (The place where there are no Starbucks).

[@sunilu.ajinadasa3515]

Their iconic dish in Malaysia back than was the onion soup in a bun if remember correctly.

[@WindInMyWings]

I went once. The service was very very slow, even though it was mostly empty. We had booked a table but still had to wait 40 minutes for said table to be ready. Once the food finally arrived, it was pretty average for some dishes, poor for others. The same price could get you much better food, better atmosphere and better service less than five minutes walk away. Obviously. we didn't go back, and that location closed 4 years later. I have no idea why people liked it so much, or how it managed to stay open those four year.

[@1utube01]

An early TGI Fridays (one of the oldest for a time) was in Overton Square in Memphis, and Billy Joel would play there very early in his career.

[@GamingMuchTerry]

I have great memories from TGI in the '90s. It was the place to go for great cocktails and American food (I'm British). The last time we went was probably 2018. I hadn't been in years and thought we'd check it out again. Central London, wasn't busy and the food wasn't great. Still a good selection of cocktails, but the vibe was gone and like the video said, food you can get anywhere these days.

[@surge337]

Use to love this place then food decline and so did service. I haven’t gone back for over 12 years.

[@factbeaglesarebest]

To all the people saying Fridays is microwaved or bad quality it’s not. They use the same distributors. Maybe an odd one out there still franchise might not uphold the standards, but most were sold back to corporate in 2020. I am a server and bartender with Fridays (I’ve always worked at some fine dining spots. Texas Roadhouse, Outback, Longhorn, some diners, etc). I just recently began back at Fridays again and it’s sad how slow it is. I have to stick it out because my GM is the best I’ve ever worked for and I’m gonna provide absolutely amazing service to everyone and hope they come back. For the price, Fridays is great! It’s actually good food. When it’s not, it’s actually a problem in the BOH. Don’t sleep on Fridays. I came from a fine dining place I was at for 4 years, and while checks for a 2 top were 200 bucks, I missed working for a manager who how would express appreciation. At this fine dining establishment I got a free meal (anything under $60) but I chose to come back to Fridays. I’m quick to get regulars and people who ask for me. Don’t sleep on Fridays. 2020 saw the corporatization of most Fridays, so there’s adjustments in rewards system, POS, and so much more. Unfortunately the type of people who don’t tip, or tip like shit, get drawn to Fridays. This impact on servers is IMMENSE. Imagine getting a party of 18, you can get no tip vibes already, their bill hits 700; 24 dollar tip out (you tip out as a server, based on sales not actual tips), imagine you bust your ass getting drinks, communicating with bartender, get/drop off food, fix issues kitchen messed up and then when the check comes, they leave you not the 130, but the $10. I have seen folks quit over parties like this. A $700 check means you tip out 24, so you already only get a portion of the aforementioned $130. And large parties can be extremely draining. Especially with how things go now a days. It is so easy to leave a restaurant and start somewhere else. (Yes there’s a hierarchy to sections and seating), but point being… want a restaurant to improve? Tip your serves well when they are good. Servers CAN but don’t HAVE to fix food. I can actually calll for extra this or that with out charging (I’m not supposed to, won’t if you in the past tipped like shit). More tipping increases strong servers to stay.

[@kane211]

I like TGI 💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💙

[@kassandrastow2239]

That blonde kid out for dinner with her family near the start. Thats me! Sat in TGI in Reading with my sister and parents. No recollection of ever being filmed and very surprised to see my face pop up!