The Decline of TGI Fridays...What Happened?

[@3rdworldgarage450]

They don't have enough flair. They long ago fell below the minimum of 15 pieces of flair and have suffered the consequences.

[@renardfranse]

HAHA office space! gotcha

[@teafordaniel809]

I understood that reference

[@veronicaguevara9040]

no one isn't saying that YOU can't come in with 15 pieces of flair and a festive attitude though!!!?!

[@charleyvarrick6371]

Some choose to do more, and we encourage that.

[@katyrebel18]

Office space reference detected

[@boardskins]

The decline of quality food and service has impacted all of the major chain sit down restaurants. You can't pay cooks $13.00 an hour and rely on microwaves and expect to retain your customer base.

[@Caderic]

Good ol' Chef Mic.

[@Globalastral5]

I went there around 13 years ago for lunch and I can’t even describe what was served to me as it wasn’t food. I can only explain it as chemicals in the shape of food that was thrown in a microwave

[@robertsitch1415]

Most chain restaurants use frozen meat.

[@jacobconcannon4677]

@@robertsitch1415which is a big part of why chain restaurants sucks

[@robertsitch1415]

@jacobconcannon4677 Yes, the majority do.

[@dubdaze68]

The food quality slipped hard. Microwaved Sysco food slathered in "Jack Daniel's Sauce", that somehow takes forever, in a dirty restaurant with a lack of servers.

[@rbxgemini]

You'd be better off getting the frozen stuff from Walmart! It's cheaper, tastes not terrible, and at least they're honest about what it is

[@bosef1]

The Jack Daniel's things were o poorly positioned on the menu. I could never figure out if it was a better cut of steak, different seasonings, just the extra sauce. Maybe they fixed that, buy the rollout was poorly done.

[@dx-ek4vr]

That sounds pretty similar to how chain restaurants like Red Lobster, Applebees, or Ruby Tuesday lost business or even gone bankrupt. They relied on serving reheated frozen food

[@ohnosmoarlulcatz]

Yep. The one near me recently closed down and some of their food was awful. The only thing I sort of liked at mine was the ribs.

[@veeedgee]

Dag... you kinda nailed it. 😂😅

[@PacesIII]

The problem I always had with places like TGI Fridays is that they make the wrong changes. What I mean by that is they go through their menu and they wipe out their best stuff their most classic items that people go there specifically to get. Then they introduce a bunch of stuff that nobody's ever heard of and nobody really wants.

[@pensivepenguin3000]

Panera has entered the chat

[@CineG]

Customers favor menu items offering satisfaction and value. To correct this "problem", companies want items that are more bland (cheaper ingredients) and a higher price. This is why fan favorites are dropped. Yes, as written earlier, Panera is guilty of this.

[@rlthereal]

It’s almost like they hate retaining customers and are allergic to making money

[@avereynakama9854]

The last time I went to a Friday's, there were only a handful of tables used and the servers kept apologizing when they showed customers the new menus.

[@vaderladyl]

yeah, I hate it when they do that. I stop going when they do it.

[@edwardkay288]

Shoutout to any married couples who met at TGI Fridays within its "singles bar" phase and took their kids there through its "casual family dining" phase!!

[@okrajoe]

So true!

[@MikeGlasses]

Yeah our local TGI still has the gogo dancers cages from the early 00’s. Its wild to see what they were and what they became

[@wentoneisendon6502]

When was this?? It's sounds like something from the 90s lol

[@justinborysenko3885]

@@wentoneisendon6502 I worked there in 1992 it was swinging!

[@ihatezgoogle6264]

What a sweet comment!

[@brandonlvns100]

I worked as a bartender in a Fridays in GA by the Mall of Georgia for 2 years around 2006. Our bar was packed 7 nights a week and we were all making crazy money. Of course we were giving away alot of free drinks but we became the #1 Fridays bar in the entire state. Shortly after, our bar manager was promoted to GM at a different store, a new bar manager was hired, within 6 months the entire bar crew was fired, and within 2 years the store closed. I remember we had to start using pour cups and any over pouring was an immediate firable offense. Suddenly the drinks weren't that strong, they certainly weren't cheap, and the new bartenders were strict, by the book, dorks who weren't fun at all. I firmly believe that's why my store closed.

[@GoldenChainsaw]

Crazy how changing one person tanked the whole thing. We really live in a world where dumb mfs get to be in charge.

[@TheWolfXCIX]

High prices, mediocre food. At least that's my experience from the UK.

[@joewilson3393]

Same in the US. They basically hit the top and stopped innovating and expected to stay there forever.

[@knuclear200x]

oof, even over there?

[@theduke5908]

We used to love going for those sesame chicken starter things and the ‘vibe’ but even back in 14-16 those prices were steep. Can’t even imagine what they were like too the end.

[@v6i838]

I went to one a few months back and honestly it was pretty shite. It was overpriced, bog standard food and had no charm anymore whatsoever. Took surprisingly long to get our food too. It closed for good a few weeks later and I wasn’t surprised

[@lowjayP]

You are correct.

[@annas4277]

I have fond memories of going to the mall with my dad, seeing a movie at the theater, and eating at TGI Friday's afterwards because we both liked it and also because it was one of the few things still open late. I feel like maybe that's a niche they could have expanded on, a late night snack alternative to fast food. Those mozzarella sticks and boneless wings just hit different between 11PM and midnight.

[@joelrobinson4497]

They did the unlimited apps late night deal in the late 2010s. That’s when me and my friends when there alot

[@brianmiller172]

have very similar fond memories myself

[@lexa_power]

The locations near me are still open til 1:30. Just don’t know anyone who has the budget to dine out in this current economy 😂 haven’t eaten out regularly since 2019 & same for everyone in my social circle. Inflation and wage stagnation is killing the working class.

[@jake78441]

I agree on the boneless wings i remember one time i got the unlimited boneless wings for whatever price it was!

[@Doc_Tar]

The implosion of the shopping mall dragged a number of dining establishments down with it, including TGI Fridays

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

dude the malls aren't killing any business, if anything the malls are the ones dying out! more malls in the last decade have closed than have been opened and those that have opened have been strip malls.... try again chief lol wanna try for double jeopardy where the scores really change?

[@HercadosP]

​@@Red_Lanterns_Rage You two are saying the exact same thing, but you somehow believe they said the opposite. Maybe you should try (retaking kindergarten to up your reading comprehension) chief lol

[@dannydaw59]

Ruby Tuesday comes to mind.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

The advertising houses have failed them. I've not seen a TGI Fridays ad in like 20 years. At least not a good one.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

@@FLPhotoCatcher I don't watch TV or have cable and I use adblocker so yeah.... even then I'm well aware of em but I prefer other places

[@brentgoeller8257]

Over the last 25 years the food has declined. People had noticed the decrease in quality, then they released TGIF frozen dinners. The problem is, they tasted identical to the restaurant food which just confirmed to people, the food was nothing but microwaved frozen meals. (No clue if it actually was, but that was the impression.) They stopped selling the frozen foods years ago but that hasn't fixed the impression that the food quality is terrible. That's why I haven't eaten there in nearly 10 years even though I had one 10 minutes from my house until 6 months ago. On a plus note, we are about to have a Santa Fe Steak House really soon.

[@lorivattes2187]

I think that's what happened to Howard Johnson's. It was all frozen microwaved food.

[@mikeweber3685]

I don't think they stopped selling TGIF frozen dinners.

[@mikeweber3685]

@@lorivattes2187 That's what Applebees became.

[@brentgoeller8257]

@@mikeweber3685 i haven't seen them in a while. But i also haven't looked.

[@Fallguy767]

I would have to disagree. The frozen meals tasted different from the in restaurant meals. Like you can obviously tell the potato skins were not the same as in restaurant. One was baked, one was fried.

[@RK-kn1ud]

Everybody I know stopped going to Fridays for a single reason...Shrinkflation. Over the years their portion sizes seemed to half and the prices double.

[@emilyadams3228]

Shrinkflation...hot damn, that's perfect. The first example of shrinkflation I saw, two years ago, was Vienna Sausages. Where before, and by that I mean "since I started eating them in 1969", they went up to the ridge where the lid came off, and were stuffed in so tightly that they were hard to get out, now they were only to within ¼" of the ridge, with 1/16" gaps between them. I tried all three brands that the stores near me had, and they were all the same. Weirdly, the prices were the same as when they were full-sized. Funny thing, that. I also stopped buying Tater Tots when they suddenly shrunk to ¾ the normal size last year. I put pictures of the Vienna Sausages on F@cebook, and several people said things like "I thought [x food] was smaller, but everyone said 'Nah, it can't be'. Thank you for proving I'm not crazy." I think it's pathetic that these globo-corporate demon weasels think they can gaslight/Mandela/mindfuck everyone, when A. We have the Internet, and can actually communicate with people other than friends and family, and B. Even the youngest of us can remember further back than a week. What am I, the guy from Memento?

[@highping1786]

In my area they cut back on the number of servers and the service went downhill too.

[@AKAK-rh7lr]

I think this is occurring with every corporate food-chain (snacks, fast food, etc…) It’s just not as significant, so people don’t notice. Shrink the bag by 4-12.5% whilst raising the price by 10-17.5%, while also including what are essentially carcinogenic chemicals to save 10 cents. 😂

[@TEverettReynolds]

That affected everyone else, too.

[@DK-nx9ri]

Even everyone you don't know. Rims of the plates got extremely wide so the plates could have seemed to be as big as they used to. But the food area of those plates shrunk unsuspiciously. You could not miss when the portion of the food could easily fit in a timble. I remember my pledge: "No more."

[@zachg9065]

Applebees is next. They just closed 8 of the 10 remaining locations in KC. I was at one of those locations a month and a half ago. They opened at 11 we got there at 11:20 on a Saturday and they forgot to unlock the doors, we were the first ones there. The whole place was dirty, dust and grease everywhere. It was a joke!

[@LiarNobody]

The one near me recently closed without telling anyone. They didn't even notify the employees and instead just had them showing up to a closed sign. So, you know, very classy on their part.

[@handsomeX]

Same thing happened in July at my local UNO's. Employees found out two days before it closed.

[@angryagain3801]

That's a terrible way to treat people.

[@mikaross4671]

Horrible. I really hope those employees are in better places now.

[@donaldwatson7698]

The same thing happened with about 13 Big Boy restaurants around the greater Indianapolis area back in the late 1990s. I was living there at the time and learned they'd put chains on the door without notifying the employees not to come in.

[@EyeShadowQueenn]

Typical for American businesses, and now things will get worse.

[@corykulenski3974]

I used to work for a TGI Fridays back in 2007 all the way until 2015 I can tell you that I had probably 7 to 8 different bosses and they all had eight bosses. There was so much upper management and HR their payroll had to be something astronomical, and like the man said they were singles bar that changed their identity and lost their way expand beyond their means

[@d.52555]

I love your profile 😂 I had to screenshot it

[@corykulenski3974]

@ That’s my real picture 🤣

[@PedroGomez-vd3wh]

As someone who was also employed there from 2013-2015, I can’t tell you how many GM’s I had in that small timeframe alone

[@corykulenski3974]

@ same I went through 7 🤯

[@Afrotechmods]

Everything was just glazed with sugar and syrup. Savory food isn't supposed to be sickeningly sweet. Same deal with Applebee's.

[@katiethompson19]

I worked at Fridays in 2011, right at the time the big rebrand happened. I specifically remember being told that I had to dye my red hair to a “natural color” and remove my piercings which had surprised me because of my perception of it being a “fun” place to work. There was no more flair, other than a striped nametag and the restaurant had all of the funky decor taken down. It felt soulless. Then the food was a whole other thing altogether…spinach artichoke dip served with the plastic lid still in it and they had this oreo dessert where I saw a cook straight up unwrap and ice cream sandwich that looked like it was straight from the grocery store and put it on a plate to sell for 10x the cost. I saw people’s disinterest unfold in real time and it was a mess 😂

[@DrDavelope]

Were there any change to serving sizes of meals and drinks at that time?

[@withoutaname-u3m]

I applied to work at one in college and the hiring manager was really rude and snobby, condescending. It was so weird to me because it's not like it's a fine dining establishment... it's a chain restaurant. No need to be so rude.

[@ryanrigley]

My step brother used to bartend at TGI Fridays in the 1990's. I remember him participating in those fancy bartending contests.

[@whackamolechamp]

Once the movie Cocktail came out the tricks by the bartender became a thing. Had a friend who worked at Friday's as a Bartender who had to learn that.

[@Lithilic]

I remember TGI Fridays as being the best of the mid-tier nice casual dining type restaurants that found a sweet spot between formal dining and fast-food. But over time all these places lost their luster as prices kept going up and their mid-tier pricing was suddenly comparable to more higher tier restaurants without the quality to match.

[@jamespohl-md2eq]

As a former employee, you are correct. The food quality didn’t maintain. Nor the preparation. Fridays wasn’t really known for anything. It was really brasserie w a lively bar. But as alcohol marketing went down as drinking laws became stricter they didn’t really adjust. Why go to Fridays for steak when there is Outback or Longhorn. Why go there for burgers or ribs when you have Chili’s for Tony Roma’s. The fact that they don’t serve pizza or a flatbread says everything about how dated their menu is. The space they shoud have been able to move to is where BJ’s, Bar Louie, Cheddar’s, Earl’s, the Keg, Ale House all thrive.

[@butcheredalive]

Exactly this. Why go to Fridays when a good local place is 3x better and only $2-3 more expensive?

[@jasonvoigt]

Let's be real: nobody likes to go to those typical "bar and grill" type places anymore. Applebees, Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, TGI....you get the idea. The younger crowd just isn't having it. We can argue all day that the places I mentioned have been trying to rehab their images but at the end of the day, they are the same place, same format

[@SouthsideKidd550]

I 100% stand with you on this. Im 36, grew up in the 90s and early 00s. These corporate bar and grill restaurants are nostalgic to me because these were the places we ate at on a Friday Night after the High School football games with Mom and Pop. Now that it's 2024, the food quality now doesn't touch on how it was back in like 1995, 96, 98, 2000, 02, 03 type years. I believe these restaurants f***ked themselves by allow consumers to purchase the same menu item appetizers at the restaurant as frozen food from local grocery stores. Giving people the cheaper option to just go to the store and grab a box from the frozen food section, taking it home and prepare it there.

[@alisonk5807]

Chilis is having a bit of a comeback

[@JL-sm6cg]

I go to Chili's a lot myself.

[@cgpxae2119]

Chillis is killing and casual dining is on the rise with the price of fast food

[@bingofromblueyfan]

Honestly out of all those restaurants you mentioned Applebees is the only one that still does great if you think about it

[@geokou18]

I'm really surprised to hear that this company isn’t doing well in the U.S. In Greece, they’re expanding rapidly! In my city, we used to have just one TGI Fridays, and it was so popular you’d often have to wait at least a week to get a reservation. Now, we have three locations, but it’s still a good idea to call at least three days ahead to book a table. One major difference from the U.S. is that here, they don’t use frozen ingredients. Instead, they source fresh, local products, which adds a lot to the taste and quality of the food.

[@ckfinke7625]

Thank you for posting this. TGI Friday's closed a huge number of locations earlier this year. Now they filed for bankruptcy, it was perfect timing. Cannot wait for your videos on the decline of Ruby Tuesday and Chi-Chi's.

[@CollinMacQuarrie]

Two things that will ALWAYS destroy a business -Diverging from your original intent, culture, and vision -Sacrificing quality to make money

[@tim3172]

The former is something that, quite literally, all businesses must do at some point to stay relevant. The latter is something that, quite literally, all businesses that are successful choose to do at some point and, generally, remain successful.

[@flyingspacerock8968]

A new Foodie did this. We mad. Im not spending like I used to.

[@queenofnyc5584]

You mean sacrificing quality to save money

[@domjfante8140]

⁠@@tim3172The tradeoff though is you can’t sacrifice quality AND skyrocket prices. This is why fast food sales are falling too.

[@MrMichaeljhinde]

I remember Blockbuster trying to live by that first rule.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

I remember when TGI Friday's commercials always got plenty of play time during NASCAR races and NFL games in the early 2000's. It was quite a powerhouse back in the day.

[@danielblock6876]

I do remember that very well, I know my closest one just closed so its highly unlikely I may ever see them again.

[@handsomeX]

Yup. The Friday's bar area was the busiest local after work/sports hangout in my area, by far, back in the late 90s/early 2000s.

[@eatatjoes6751]

I saw ‘em during cartoons and stuff too.

[@JoshSnares]

My partner and I used to go there every now and then before COVID, then post-pandemic, the food quality dipped so much. We likened it to 'war rations' and never went back again. I'm surprised the location is still open, it's always empty.

[@purelysmetalnightcore]

I drove through my hometown the other day for the first time in years and seeing the only movie theater in town completely demolished right next to the now closed TGI Friday's made me feel so sad. I have a lot of memories of both places.

[@Bluestar1079]

You're doing good if that's all that's gone from your hometown. Last time I went to mine, my entire childhood was gone. Including the house I grew up in

[@purelysmetalnightcore]

@@Bluestar1079 Well I've only been gone for 8 years, so there's still time, I guess. Although the town has gotten much bigger since I left.

[@jerrysanders9101]

You can thank single-handedly globalists/globalism/leftism😢 I feel the same to see things turn to chit

[@jerrysanders9101]

@@Bluestar1079well, my old town I hadn’t been back to in 15 years but planned to this year, is now entirely gone.. Lahaina , Maui 😢

[@Caderic]

​@jerrysanders9101 I wouldn't say leftism. I mean, we can blame them for a lot of stuff, but they are exactly the same as globalist; albeit usually if you are one you are the other. But they are not always both by default.

[@carlrood4457]

The one way I think TGI Fridays used to stand out is the bar area was a bit more closed off, so that part operated more like a bar than other casual dining places. However, that kind of limited the seating in the rest of the place and it wasn't suited to parties bigger than say, 6. In the end, I just think that like with fast food, casual dining has grown passed its acceptable price point for many. Two people really shouldn't exceed $100 even if they have a couple drinks.

[@ztomas1]

I asked for an updated TGI Fridays video and here it is.....Thank you

[@enigmawyoming5201]

Took the family to McDonalds a few weeks ago. The bill for 2 adults and 2 kids was $40. McDonalds is the new “ fast casual”.

[@RobertJarecki]

When McDonald's opened, they advertised that a family of 4 could eat for $1 (one dollar). It was true, more than 70 years ago. The only thing I can get at a burger restaurant for a dollar is a small salt free pattie for my dog (In-N-Out puppy pattie - 92 cents before tax).

[@enigmawyoming5201]

@ Hey, thanks for the tip about In-N-Out! My Great Pyrenees (in my thumbnail) will take 10 of those.

[@RobertJarecki]

@@enigmawyoming5201 👍 😆 🤣 😂 😹 Yes, I'm sure your Great Pyrenees will take 10! My little old brown Jack Russell Terrier is jealous!

[@dannydaw59]

You gotta take advantage of those buy 1 get one free deals on the app.

[@richardperaza5083]

“Fast Casual” more like “Fast Rip-Off”

[@leonb2637]

A number of them were operated by franchises. Here in NJ about 5-6 years ago, several units operated by the same franchisor got caught switching cheap booze into more expensive product bottles, watering down booze and their liquor licenses revoked. It is always difficult to keep constancy with franchisees.

[@Blad3sofWaR]

That’s Wild. Surprised they got caught That stated, if the state Liquor commission doesn’t receive sales from you, multiple people notice the swapping of bottles and numbers don’t add Atleast close if not around to what is made in sales, it’s obviously a red flag.

[@elcheapo5302]

Yep. It used to be an hour+ wait to get into my local (one you mentioned) Fridays for dinner on a weekend or during a sports event. After this scandal, it was a ghost town and the writing was on the wall.

[@AMBYT00]

Jersey native (living in a different state now). I forgot about that.

[@Mouradin1224]

Hello fellow Jerseyan. Can confirm. In south Jersey I only know of two. The one by me in EHT closed over a decade ago and is now attached to a mall that literally has half of it sealed off. The other one is I’ve 20 miles away in Turnersville and every time I’ve driven by it, it’s dead. Stopped one night coming back from Philly and my family was the only one in there. Sad to see.

[@rocker1821]

Yep the one near me in Nj was one of those plus they use to heavy water down the drinks. I complained and the manager said it was by town order. i called my brother who actually worked at town hall and he said that the manager was full of shit

[@omegahtv6779]

I’m so glad you finally got a chance to do a video on TGI Fridays. The one near me I’m guessing got destroyed in Ashville, NC due to Hurricane Helene. It was a favorite spot for my family and I. We went there many times. I NEVER had one bad experience there. Their service was ALWAYS amazing, and I ALWAYS tipped well because of it. I hope it opens back up,soon.🙏🏿

[@johnblaze8774]

I'm from the UK and this restaurant concept should have been an easy win. Where they left themselves down is having shit food and somehow even worse service. I remember one opening up in my local town a few years back and my kids wanting to go. Mash potato tasted like newspaper and their boneless wings were small chicken nuggets. No one who isn't a child and has half decent taste buds is going there twice. You go once because your kids begged or you were invited, but then never go again.

[@endersgameover]

It won for years. They just…stopped adhering to the model. Thus, their current predicament

[@SKBSKBSKBSKBSK]

This is true…Once you end up there once, you won’t find yourself there again

[@pedronavaja223s]

Like rainforest cafe literally

[@ZachBobBob]

Quality just went to shit, like it had with everything

[@bjw509]

We hadn't been to one for years, decided a few years back, let's give it a try again. Turned up, waited for ages for drinks, didn't have half the food in stock, and the burger I didn't really want was so small with a hand full of chips(fries) and instantly forgettable in a McDonald's tier kind of way. Then the bill turned up 😮

[@MrEricSir]

I don't even consider going to sit-down chain restaurants anymore -- if I want reheated frozen pizza I can just stay home.

[@jocelynharris-fx8ho]

As long as it's Red Baron Pizza. The quality of a lot of those frozen pizzas, is no better than cardboard with sauce .😮

[@austinwyss7796]

My local tgi Fridays closed before the pandemic. It was a place my family would gather often for drinks and appetizers. Ours closed down do to poor food quality, the food was coming cold or under cooked and people were getting sick. And our town had just gone through redevelopment making the down town secne cool again, meaning there's was no room for a poor quality restaurant

[@handsomeX]

The last Friday's in my area closed last year for the same reasons you listed.

[@enigmawyoming5201]

@@austinwyss7796 The one near me burned down and now the lot is just parking.

[@skyden24195]

The 2005 film, "Waiting," (Starring Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long, and Anna Faris) was written by a former restaurant employee, (possibly T.G.I. Fridays if I remember correctly) who basically wrote of his experience as an employee. The film's fictional restaurant is called "Shenanigans," but is basically a "Fridays" with an alternate name. In fact, the film was shot at an actual, operating T.G.I.F.s during the restaurant's closed hours. The film, for the most part, shows (typically in exaggerated film fashion) how the varying positions and personalities of the staff act and react to everyday situations during and after business hours, from disgruntled customers, incompetent or overbearing managers and sometimes horrific working conditions to inter-employee relationships, after hours gatherings, and general "where does working here really fit in with my life and life goals?" It's a really good movie, and very funny.

[@ericmoore571]

It's hysterical! Any server who sees it will relate!

[@TonyGearSolid]

I know the naming is just a coincidence, but Shenanigans is an actual restaurant chain in South Florida and is similar to something like Chili's and Fridays.

[@skyden24195]

@@TonyGearSolid I've heard of that chain. My sister lived in Florida for a couple of years and had mentioned it.

[@jocelynharris-fx8ho]

​@@ericmoore571wasn't the film Cocktail, with Tom Cruise, loosely based on T.G.I.Friday's ?

[@DeepDeepSpace]

The name Shenanigans is likely a parody of the name Bennigan's which is a now defunct "Irish Pub" themed casual dining chain.

[@christianbuffum-robbins8904]

"Mid-range" chains in the US seem to be dropping like flies. Guess there's just not enough cash to go around? Edit: Of course private equity was involved...

[@SimuLord]

There are too many companies chasing a declining amount of casual dining dollars; private equity just acts as an accelerant for the gasoline being poured on the burning industry.

[@madladofabrit2439]

yeah if the middle class no longer exists like in the 70s-00s then places catering to them will also cease to exist. its hard to justify the value, if you can afford to dine, you can probably afford better than TGIF or Ruby Tues, and if u cant afford to dine, cooking at home is such a better value and you (depending on your skills) can get a better experience. i kinda feel bad for these chains, either theyll die or become some fast food hybrid slop like Steak N Shake.

[@DarDarBinks1986]

When a private equity firm gets its hands on any business, you know they're only going to run it into the ground. They're shit-Midases. Everything they touch turns into shit.

[@Charlottemodel2]

I think people would also rather go to locally owned or small chain restaurants that have better quality food for roughly the same prices. When I think of these chains, I think of crappy food places that I would never willingly go to when there are so many better options.

[@RobertJarecki]

​@madladofabrit2439 Cooking at home is so economical. I confess I went to a local restaurant over the weekend. I took my little old dog (he always feels neglected). I had a shrunkflated burger and he had a grilled chicken breast from the children's menu. The $24 is about a quarter of what we usually spend weekly for food - usually cook everything at home.

[@abdulmajeedali8073]

Thank you CM for your entertaining and informative channel! This episode was quite interesting to me as I witnessed these events in my country, Saudi Arabia. TGI Friday’s used to be very cool place to dine and hangout at, back around 2013. They had good vibes and delicious food. What was surprising is that such restaurants (TGIF, Chilli’s, Applebee’s) got totally destroyed by local restaurants! More and more young guys started opening up new restaurants and each one of them had their own special menu and people went crazy over them, people wanted a change which big chain restaurants were reluctant to have, which eventually led to their downfall. Now, many of these restaurants closed down so many branches, last time I visited Chilli's, it was a ghost town.

[@mtbrecords1623]

So crazy.. so many TGI Fridays were closing down and I really wanted to know why, but was too lazy to do the research.. and every time I felt like looking it up, I got sidetracked.. was really waiting for this video so I can put my AirPods on during a shift and listen lol

[@TheCrazierz]

It's crazy for me because I never really ever saw one in my area but if I go down to Mexico, I know of at least 2.

[@handsomeX]

I live in the eastern Massachusetts area and there are a ton of top quality mom and pop establishments to choose from. Especially when it comes to sub and pizza shops. We're kinda spoiled in that regard compared to most of the country. That being said, basically every Friday's location in my area did VERY well back in the late 90s/early 2000s. The bar area was always full, even on the weekdays.

[@toejullar]

When I was studying abroad in Japan, they had a TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, and Hard Rock Cafe at the city walk area of Universal Studios in Osaka. That place was absolutely SLAMMED. It was one of the only places around there to get that American casual dining vibe. I had no intention of going, but was coerced to go with local friends. I only ever had mediocre experiences at TGI Fridays in the states. However, that USJ location was a whole nother level of quality and service. I feel like while it's dying out around the country, having it in those dense urban or tourist areas like Hard Rock does could let it survive. I just don't think people care for or want to drive to these chains unless it offers some unique extra value or is a local spot.

[@jamison74]

I really appreciate your quality content and MAAAAN that intro song/beat is a BANGER! 👍🏼

[@Sligh_t]

casual dining restaurants all have that similar issue of portion sizes going down, prices going up, and quality going down. They basically want to put as little effort into it then expect to get maximum profits in return so I can totally see why most of them are struggling. I will say though that the frozen apps of theirs that you can get a grocery stores and such were pretty good.

[@LDrumsOhio]

I worked at TGifridays full time before the recession and then part time afterwards. I won a few President and Vice President awards for service and was lead trainer in my region. I absolutely loved working there and kept working there part time well into my corporate career as an IT Engineer because of the vibe, the fun, and the company. 2008 was absolutely brutal for the company and started the downfall of closures and identity crisis. They wanted us to be a party restaurant but also family friendly. They wanted us to upsell alcohol aggressively but then told us to focus on families and dessert. The menu changed a bit but was still pretty complicated but helped by the Jack Daniel’s menu. We didn’t have flair but they encouraged us to decorate our shirts for our personality, dance and create a party atmosphere. Carlson Restaurants did ok but really seemed to have an identity crisis and started chasing trends instead of leading. I finally hung up my apron after 9 years at the restaurant, about 2 years before my location closed. The last restaurant in my city closed a month ago. I really do love Fridays as a chain restaurant and always go at airports. The bartending was always exciting and it was just always a great vibe.

[@MaggieOffutt]

We used to have a TGI Fridays near us. My mom loved the Jack Daniels burger so much. The location near us closed in 2021 and now the only time we go is on vacation in Florida since all the locations around us closed. And I remember them selling the Jack Daniels sauce in grocery stores for a bit in the early 2010s but then stores stopped carrying it.

[@MaggieOffutt]

Oh and what replaced the TGI’s? BJ’s Restaurant.

[@karlosjeffers4791]

From the UK, growing up I always got super excited to go here for both food and cocktails. Went there about 2 months ago after a long time and honestly won’t ever be going back very underwhelming food at extortionate prices, I guarantee they won’t be around by next year. Sad as that iconic building has been in the same place for decades.

[@pilotgrrl1]

So many of those cookie cutter restaurants have failed: Fridays, Bennigans, Houlihans... All much the same and none very memorable.

[@mindseyemusicreview]

Let me add some more, red lobster, olive garden, chili's etc they just do nothing exciting and have been a joke for a while. "Real Italians eat at olive garden, when you're here, your family" get outta here 😅

[@Gamefreak924]

Houlihans pretty good in my experience. I like em

[@mindseyemusicreview]

@Gamefreak924 never been im located in MD baltimore country, don't think we have them

[@Alverant]

The local Houlihans closed years (decades?) ago and the building is still empty.

[@RobertJarecki]

​@@mindseyemusicreview Mom's family is Italian. Went to Olive Garden with the office. That was *_not_* shrimp scampi.

[@kyllepoiencot4361]

Hey Company Man, I was wondering if you could do a special where you have a list of ideas to run a generic successful business. I watch a lot of your videos in the hope of maybe running my own successful business one day and I was looking for a video that could sum up the best ways to keep any business afloat through the years, barring the external factors that may occur. Love all your videos and please keep up the great work!

[@MIMIDSH]

It used to be *the* place for singles happy hour, and restaurant staff after hours. I remember being horrified to go there one night and see children in highchairs and "old married people".

[@mjrodriguez8670]

I have dined at the TGI Friday’s in West Des Moines, IA four times from 2001 through 2008. I have also ate at Friday’s in Orlando, FL back in 2000. The food was decent, and it was reasonably priced. This location has long since closed and the building has been razed. I really miss TGI Friday’s!

[@giancarlofelicianocastaned9316]

Fates of my former local TGI Fridays. Chadds Ford, PA (Now a highly rated Mexican restaurant called Gran Rodeo) Lancaster, PA (To be replaced by a sushi/steakhouse of some sort) Exton, PA (Torn down and replaced by a steakhouse called ChopHouse)

[@enigmawyoming5201]

@@giancarlofelicianocastaned9316 Great comment. Thanks!

[@jocelynharris-fx8ho]

I'm down in Philly and I think that the only Friday's still operating , was the one on Ben Franklin Parkway. The ones on City Avenue and South Street, I believe, are closed.

[@dontelindsey5846]

We live very close to each other. I wondered about the steakhouse. Is it any good?

[@meetmeinva]

I went into a TGI Friday’s recently in Herndon, Virginia and noticed that 1) it smelled horrible and 2) lack of servers/employees and 3) it was extremely “dark” and so many ways. I’m surprised they’ve lasted this long.

[@davidbarker7030]

My wife and I had our last 2 visits to the Herndon TGI Fridays. Both times we were seated by the host, but never approached by a server. We got up and left both times. My guess is that they were cutting back on employees putting more pressure on those that remained. It's sad to me because we've had so many good times there (it used to be open really really late!)

[@The_Alexandra_B]

They just closed the location near me in North Dartmouth, MA a couple weeks ago. We have way too many great local spots around for chains to keep surviving here.

[@roberthansen2008]

No I really haven't thought about eating at TGI Fridays in years. I know an organization in downtown Chicago that eats at 1:00 once a month. It just doesn't excite me and it's kind of boring.

[@mtwilda]

Something that wasn't mentioned that I think hurt all casual dining chains was smartphones. Back before I had a smartphone, if I was in an unfamiliar city and needed something to eat, I'd look around for a familiar casual dining chain. Chances were pretty good there'd be a Chili's or Applebee's or TGI Fridays or similar near the hotel, and I knew the food there would be at least passable. Today if I'm in that situation I pull out my phone, look at reviews online, and find some good local restaurant.

[@icgaming4508]

Not only that, you can also just uber eats whatever restaurant you want. You don't even have to leave the hotel.

[@MattBNSF1991]

Me too

[@jacobfishel8913]

In my head and in my heart, TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesday, Applebee's, and Chili's are all exactly the same thing and have no distinguishing features.

[@prtdiva]

Bingo. Their food is all the same…although I think Applebee’s is the worst of them all. I’ve never been able to eat there, even in its prime years. But now the others taste just like Applebee’s, bad 😖

[@lorivattes2187]

Chili's is still open in my area.

[@smokeybub]

Agreed, still think Applebee's is the worst. I remember buying some mozzarella sticks and even they were awful. How do you screw those up 😂

[@jacobfishel8913]

@@smokeybub due to a bitch of an ex-girlfriend of mine, Applebee's mozzarella sticks are my Name flashback.

[@queenofnyc5584]

No chilis gets a pass

[@jacktuckblackverion2432]

New company man video for my 18th birthday

[@enigmawyoming5201]

And for my 71st birthday.

[@jacktuckblackverion2432]

@ we might still have different days I live in Australia here it’s the 7th

[@enigmawyoming5201]

@ Which is perfect for me. I was born in Australia, and my birthday is the 7th… which is why I celebrate it on the 6th here in the US…. AND 7th so I get two birthdays for the price of one! My wife thinks it’s funny and goes along with it. I get breakfast in bed 2 days in a row.

[@jacktuckblackverion2432]

@ I was born in Sydney what about you??

[@insufferableMAYNARDfan]

Happy birthday to you both 🎈

[@GetSmartish]

All I can say about Fridays is that I can only vaguely remember how long ago the last time I went there was; but can recall that the last few times was not by my choice but someone else's and that, while I didn't HATE it, I felt I overpaid for what I got, would rather have been somewhere else and realized how much I liked my friends to have endured it.

[@SimuLord]

I loved the Friday's mozza sticks. They were more like mozzarella planks, and I love anything that involves so much fried cheese in one package. Back in the '90s, a couple of friends and I would go there on Friday after work and split a bunch of appetizers as the whole meal. It was Fried Day, after all.

[@pretendtobenormal8064]

Why pay $15 for something you can buy at the grocery store and prepare at home in an air fryer?

[@nathanjames4576]

My parents never took us there in the 90s because they always said that their prices are to high. I ate there in my 20s and the food tasted like a slightly better Chilis but was also over priced. I like casual dining resturants like chilis, applebees, ruby tuesday, etc. The issue for me is that they are all extremely silimliar and when youve been to one, youve been to them all.

[@K1lostream]

Haven’t visited a TGI Fridays this century! The couple of times I went in the 1990’s the food cost enough that I was expecting something a little bit special and it was not, so I didn’t go back.

[@alexp9621]

You're right that the 2/3 to me have shut, both recently when the shit hit the fan. Sadly, a friend was employed (for 12 years, no less) at one of them, and heard of his redundancy while on holiday. Really feel for the guy.

[@thewatkinsdeadandbreakfast]

The misses and I stopped at our local Fridays a couple weeks ago, sat for maybe 10 minutes while looking at the menu, then rolled out without even ordering a beverage. Nothing on the menu was jumping out at us as something we just had to try, as none of the apps were well.....appetizing, and the entrees were items we could get anywhere and not what we were looking for.

[@WolfHunter1043]

Their food began to taste identical to the frozen food they offered in stores, not in a good way. Like they were taking the food out of frozen bags, microwaving, then serving. This is why I stopped going.

[@bradleyd119]

I would love to hear you talk about Ruby Tuesday! I have such good childhood memories from that place. We always obsessed over the salad bar. Not sure if that's what they were known for or if we just liked it, lol.

[@thecunninlynguist]

The friday near me has almost slow as molasses service. I am still amazed how theyre still getting business...but buffalo wild wings is slower and still busy...so what do i know

[@gunark]

10:23 really impressed they had the foresight to call off the IPO due to COVID two months before COVID was even a thing….

[@TerryWhisk]

The Fridays near me (before it closed suddenly) had awful service, inconsistent food, and they changed the menu what seemed like every month. I’d go there and get a sandwich I liked and the next time I went it was gone. Plus it’s more expensive than Applebees

[@wturner777]

The one near me closed as well. Honestly, I never really cared for them anyway. I stopped going after they got gid of the endless apps.

[@Absaalookemensch]

Haven't been to a restaurant in over a year. Wife and I had an extended layover in DFW, so we got a meal. It was EXCELLENT. That place was completely full the entire time we were there. The service and meal was so good I gave the waitress a 100% tip. First time I've ever been to TGIF. 10 out of 10 for us at that meal.

[@darthshuster551]

Haven’t finished the video yet, but I was a bartender at one that closed. Waiting to see if “Endless Appetizers” is one of the 5 reasons…

[@knuclear200x]

That's the last time I even went to one. Maybe they should've kept that.

[@dannydaw59]

Did they really use microwaves in the kitchen?

[@darthshuster551]

@@dannydaw59 Often

[@SnarlyCharly]

How dare you utter that vile phrase.... I served at a TGI Fridays from 2012-2022. If I never have to hear that term again, it will be too soon.

[@knuclear200x]

@@SnarlyCharly You should've done it buffet style

[@Lex41127]

A lot of great memories from All day Sunday happy hour during football season

[@firerules08]

Part of the reason is also menu/recipe changes. It's not the main reason but many of my friends stopped going to tgi after the mozzarella stick recipe changed in 2012 and slowly their menu and service both got worse. With an empty restaurant they were unable to accommodate our group of 8 people because they "did not have a server to handle the non- bar area" (in 2019). The restaurant in my town closed last January (finally) and is now being turned into a Mexican food restaurant.

[@TheCrazierz]

Into a Mexican restaurant? Thats ironic to me because the only tgif that I know are both in tijuana Mexico lol

[@fourthgirl]

Fridays, Tony Romas, Fuddruckers, Chevy were in the Bay Area and now they are gone. Why, high price, mediocre food, bad service when you could pay a little more at a local non-chain restaurant and get a better experience.

[@radzer0966]

The biggest issue was when they started to cater to food stamp customers. They ran off be customers that work and got the trash. Our local franchise owner shut everything down because they were having almost 25% chargeback rate because of the customers corperate wanted.

[@Peterpanic-c3h]

Same as with all these chains, prices go up and quality went down. Private equity firms buy the companies and start borrowing more and more against the company. Because of this prices go up and the food quality is lowered to cut costs and improve profits. More and more customers feel they are being ripped off and paying a fortune for pre prepared food reheated in a microwave by teenagers so they never go back. Private equity company have bled as much money as possible from the company so they let it go into bankruptcy. Rinse and repeat.

[@emilyadams3228]

I never ate there, but in 2017, I worked for a food delivery service in Chicago, and one of their clients was Friday's downtown. You know how when you drive by a restaurant, you can detect odors that are recognizeable as food, even when they're mixed with things like diesel exhaust and construction dust? I didn't even get that when I stood right in the kitchen at Friday's. It smelled kinda like food, but not quite, the same way a Russian copy of a Zeiss camera lens is not quite Zeiss. You'd only be impressed with it until you saw pictures from an actual Zeiss lens. The first time I went there, I thought "There's no way in hell I'd ever eat here." The decline following the "toning down" of the flair might be because, to paraphrase what David Letterman said about Don King in the October 1984 Playboy Interview, they were selling the sizzle instead of the steak.

[@enigmawyoming5201]

@@emilyadams3228 You forgot to mention that David Letterman comment about Don King was on page 14. Continued on page 28.

[@portlandrestaurants]

I think one point you missed is how these restaurants were part of the feminist movement of the time in that women started working rather than staying home and cooking. This was still a bit of a radical concept at the time; hard to believe now but I lived through it as a child of the 70s. I think businesses finally embraced the dual income family and options exploded. Boston Market was also a pioneer in that arena.

[@stemratex]

I think one of the biggest trends they failed to adapt was the value meal trend that McDonald's started this year which ended up skyrocketing every food businesses' performance, especially their rival competitor Chili's (they were no were near as bad as TGI Fridays as far as performance but they still were tanking pretty bad since COVID)

[@Mtraverse21]

The location near me is actually pretty good. Always clean and usually pretty busy. I think management plays a huge role in how the restaurant performs in each location.

[@davinp]

Chapter 11 bankruptcy which means a reorganization of finances. They blamed COVID as one of the factors. My local one closed earlier this year. It was one about dozen that they suddenly closed in Northern Virginia

[@ckfinke7625]

Apparently it was one of many closed earlier this year...talk about perfect timing.

[@tim3172]

Yep, Springfield Mall, King Street, etc. All gone.

[@davinp]

@@tim3172 There was one in Woodbridge, VA near Potomac Mills Mall that also closed

[@rogerbartlet5720]

It's like you said, it wasn't built to last forever. It was a fun 90's restaurant with limited life expectancy.

[@eatatjoes6751]

All restaurants like that do. O’Charley’s caved into that one chicken tender/bread gimmick they had from word-o-mouth and their food subsequently got worse afterwards. Next thing I knew, they’re gone.

[@MightyMandyRee]

My aunt who passed away years ago worked at a TGI Fridays when I was a kid and I have so many good memories of going to visit her. I thought she was cool that she could flare and she had all those neat buttons on her suspenders. I wanted to work there one day at one point 😂 It may seem stupid but losing TGI Fridays is like losing a piece of her. I believe I still have a few of them closer to me since I live in a tourist area but it's just not the same

[@DrDavelope]

I loved TGIs in the 90s. I’d go at least twice a week. I still go occasionally, but have noticed quite a bit of shrinkflation with the food and cocktails (hello? booze?). Change that and I’ll be back.

[@yogitam2372]

Been a fan of TGI Friday since 1996. Used to love their food. Over the years, it got worse. I heard from friends that it was management. They got someone from Bennighans management to work at Fridays. Instead of using fresh food, they chose to bring in more microwave food. This concept was good for stats. This same concept killed Bennighans. Less costs but it lead to driving away customers. Taste just got worse on almost every dish. I will miss them. I used to love their French Onion Soup, Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip and they had the best Mud Pie (dessert).

[@iamtobler]

It was my favorite place to eat in highschool for special occasions. Then all of a sudden the TGI Fridays in my town closed and was replaced with a bank. Still hate seeing that every time I go back home...

[@Markimark151]

TGI Fridays used to be really popular few decades ago, until early 2010s when they stopped promoting the good meal deals, and they started closing once popular locations that were in strip malls, I feel they failed because of that leverage buyout from over a decade ago that hurt the company in the long run!

[@Gamer-ade]

Went to my local one a few years back and it took forever to get served and when I saw the appetizers were $15-20 I walked out. That location shut down.

[@RubesGoodBrainCoffee]

Can we have a Company Man on Chotchkie's Bar & Grill, please?

[@SimuLord]

The employees all quit to go home and watch Kung Fu.

[@AHeroAlmost]

There’s a few in Ireland & I’ve only ever been once maybe 12 years ago ? Food was fine back then but it was expensive .. I couldn’t imagine what they’re charging these days .. The frozen items are fine as well had them once or twice but you can get similar products for much cheaper ..

[@jaegerbomb269]

I liked TGI Fridays. Bummer about the bankruptcy.

[@CountGremlin]

Ew

[@ashleyvirgosflame21]

I don't know about the others but the Fridays in my city customer service is okay but the cooks do not care they don't cook the menu as it should. So the food is no good.

[@timkeyes8870]

The big thing missing from the video, and the ultimate cause: It's the food. If the food isn't good, you can hide it with flair and singles dating, etc, for a while, but the problem is still: the food just got shittier over time, and that is the ultimate thing that kills the business.

[@G.reviewz]

A tgi opened up in the uk where i go into townand looking in the windows hardly anyone is in there yanno “more staff than customers” sort of thing

[@John_Locke_108]

What happened? They starteed selling microwaved garbage. But do I remember liking back in the late 80's and the 90's.

[@Kingofb0ngstyle]

Damn you're old

[@ayisha75]

My first ever waiting job. It was the late 90's in midtown Manhattan. This one was right around the corner from Rockefeller center, had 5 floors and was owned by the Darden group. Good times!

[@evanhizon8112]

The interesting part about TGI Fridays is that it is doing very well in Asian countries like the Philippines. I did not eat there, but I was able to get a brief look at the environment, food, and menu. The reason I think TGI Fridays is doing well is because they are following the pages that made TGI Fridays great in the first place. I guess they really took all the pages which made it special, unique, and made it have the TGI charm, and brought it to the modern age. Fun Fact: Every restaurant chain that failed in the US, is thriving in Asia. Fun Fact 2: There is a TGI Fridays where I live in, Guam. But it is not doing so well. They seemed to be doing everything wrong.

[@angryagain3801]

In Singapore TGIF tried to get into the market . It lasted a couple years maybe, around 2011-2012. It closed as did Chili's a few years later . MorganFields is hanging on by a thread. Tony Roma's closed 5 or 6 years ago.

[@evanhizon8112]

@angryagain3801 Speaking of Tony Romas it also closed down in the Phillppines.

[@angryagain3801]

@@evanhizon8112 TR still has a presence in Malaysia.

[@DuffyGabi]

1992. Eating at Fridays with my soon to be wife. Good memories. And now I just realized no we weren’t at Fridays. We were at Applebee’s. Yep, some restaurants are interchangeable.

[@DH-mf6jf]

I worked for a TGI Fridays very briefly. I was hired as a bartender, but then they wouldn’t schedule me for bar training. Kept giving me server shifts. In the meantime one of the managers kept taking bar shifts for herself. I just stopped coming in one day because fuck that. If you didn’t want a bartender, why hire for one? Luckily I found another bartending job shortly after. The Fridays closed down like two months after I stopped showing up anyways. A few months later while working at another bar, I actually ran into one of the bartenders from my Fridays. She told me I definitely dodged a bullet. Management was even worse than I had initially thought, and they didn’t even give the employees a heads up that the location was closing. Managers waited until the EVENING on the LAST DAY OPEN to tell all the staff. She said they didn’t even say anything to the employees not scheduled that day. They had to hear it from other servers, cooks, etc… or just showed up to an empty locked restaurant the next day.

[@dannydaw59]

Did they use microwaves to heat the food up? People always accuse McDonald's of using microwaves, but they didn't when I worked there in 1990.

[@DH-mf6jf]

@ I believe we did have a microwave. Can’t say I ever saw it used though.

[@AudioGAWD]

​@@dannydaw59Not even for the pancakes?

[@neodelrio]

I always thought the food was mediocre, but my friends liked going there for drinks. We eventually had kids and went to other restaurants with food we enjoyed more.

[@xtremeyoylecake]

Their mozzarella sticks were to die for I also loved listening in on the trivia nights! My table won each time without even competing 😭

[@I.C.Weiner]

Yeah they are.

[@Noah_E]

Frozen mozzarella sticks take less than ten minutes to cook in an air fryer and are magnitudes better than you'll get from a TGI Friday for a fraction of the cost.

[@daichi6679]

Im saddened to see Fridays go. I worked there as a server while in college & even a bit after. I had so much fun working for the company

[@bkkmj4250]

TGIB - Thank God it’s Bankrupt! 😂