Your chances to savor loaded potato skins and $5 happy hour drinks are fading. TGI Fridays has shut down 12 U.S. locations in just the past month. That’s not all; they’ve also closed 35 restaurants across the pond.
Recent closures hit the Northeast hard. Locations in Clifton Park, Middletown, and Poughkeepsie, New York, are gone. Allentown, Pennsylvania; Enfield, Connecticut; and Leesburg, Virginia, also saw their TGI Fridays close last week.
Earlier this month, more restaurants closed in the Southeast and Midwest. States like North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana were affected. Two locations in Minnesota are no longer open, either.
In the U.K., Sky News reported that TGI Fridays secured a deal to save 51 locations and the jobs tied to them. However, 35 stores shut their doors immediately, leading to over 1,000 employees losing their jobs.
Fox News Digital reached out to TGI Fridays for comment on the closures, but there was no response. Earlier this year, the brand had already closed 36 restaurants deemed "underperforming."
They stated this was part of a long-term strategy for growth and viability. Additionally, they sold eight corporate-owned restaurants to former CEO Ray Blanchette. This "era of transformation" is meant to drive revenue for the chain.
TGI Fridays Chief Operating Officer Ray Risley emphasized the need to optimize operations. "We've identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet – and exceed – on that brand promise," he noted.
With over 50 years in service, TGI Fridays currently operates 215 locations in the U.S., according to their website.