If you’ve been looking forward to your next meal at TGI Fridays, you might be out of luck. The casual dining chain just announced it has closed 36 “underperforming” locations across the country.
The company cited its “ongoing growthy strategy” as motivation for the move, adding that the 36 stores are located in “select markets across the U.S.”
“Our top priority has always been delivering a superior experience for each and every TGI Fridays guest, and we’ve identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet — and exceed — on that brand promise,” TGI Fridays U.S. president and chief operating officer Ray Risley said in a press release. “By strengthening our franchise model and closing underperforming stores, we are creating an unprecedented opportunity for Fridays to drive forward its vision for the future.”
TGI Fridays noted that it’s offered job transfers to more than 1,000 employees, which equates to 80% of affected employees.
Which locations are closing?
TODAY.com obtained a list of the affected restaurants from a TGI Fridays spokesperson, who confirmed that they have all been closed as of Jan. 3.
The closures affect restaurants in 12 states, with the following ones being most heavily impacted: New Jersey (seven closures), Massachusetts (six closures) and New York (five closures).
Here is the full list of closures:
- Fresno, California: 1077 E. Herndon Ave. 93720
- Denver, Colorado: 8104 Northfield Blvd., 80238
- Longmont, Colorado: 125 Ken Pratt Blvd., 80501
- Newington, Connecticut: 3025 Berlin Turnpike, 06111
- Ormond Beach, Florida: 24 Ocean Shore Blvd., 32176
- Royal Palm, Florida: 580 N. State Road 7, 33411
- Berlin/Marlbourough, Massachusetts: 601 Donald Lynch Blvd., 01752
- Danvers, Massachusetts: 49 Newbury St., 01923
- Dedham, Massachusetts: 750 Providence Hwy, 02026
- Mansfield, Massachusetts: 280 School St. Suite A100, 02048
- North Attleboro, Massachusetts: 1385 S. Washington St., 02760
- Seekonk, Massachusetts: 1105 Fall River Ave., 02771
- Bowie, Maryland: 15207 Major Lansdale Blvd., 20716
- Columbia, Maryland: 8330 Benson Dr., 21045
- Amherst, New Hampshire: 124 NH-101A Ste. 28, 03031
- Eatontown, New Jersey: 180 NJ-35 Ste. 6000, 07724
- Hacksensack, New Jersey: 411 Hackensack Ave., 07601
- Iselin/Woodbridge, New Jersey: 401 Gill Ln., 08830
- Marlton, New Jersey: 970 Rte. 73 N., 08053
- Princeton, New Jersey: 3535 US-1 #275, 08540
- Springfield, New Jersey: 40 US-22, 07081
- Wayne Town Center, New Jersey: 71 Route 23 South, 07470
- Albany, New York: 1475 Western Ave, 12203
- Bay Shore, New York: 1725 Sunrise Hwy., 11706
- Hauppauge, New York: 3045 Expy Drive N., 11749
- Massapequa, New York: 5204 Sunrise Hwy., 11762
- Woodbury Township, New York: 5 Centre Dr., 10917
- Willow Grove, Pennsylvania: 2500 W. Moreland Rd., 19090
- Corpus Christi, Texas: 5217 S. Padre Island Dr., 78411
- Houston Almeda, Texas: 12895 Gulf Fwy., 77034
- North Arlington, Texas: 1524 N. Collins Street, 76011
- The Woodlands, Texas: 1105 Lake Woodlands Dr., 77380
- Fredericksburg, Virginia: 1160 Carl D Silver Pkwy, 22401
- Manassas, Virginia: 7401 Sudley Rd., 20109
- Springfield, Virginia: 6751-B Frontier Dr., 22150
- Woodbridge/Potomac Mills, Virginia: 13237 Worth Ave., 22192
TGI Fridays is also selling eight restaurants to its former CEO
The chain also announced that it’s selling eight “previously corporate-owned restaurants” in the Northeast to former TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette.
“With a history of deep involvement and unwavering confidence in the Fridays brand, Mr. Blanchette brings an unmatched understanding of the TGI Fridays business and the restaurant’s commitment to delivering excellence for guests. Following the finalization of the sale, Blanchette will lead the locations into a new phase of revitalization,” the press release reads.
TGI Fridays closed over 30 restaurants in 2020
In 2020, the restaurant chain announced the closure of 34 restaurants across the country, citing a decline in sales in 2019.
A spokesperson offered the following statement to TODAY.com at the time:
“As part of the early stages of our business turnaround, we bought underperforming franchises, which creates a temporary loss of near term profit, including store closures. This investment materially changes the influence we hold over the brand domestically and meaningfully increases the impact to the company as we change the trajectory as demonstrated in Q1 2020. We are committed to investing in our people and creating jobs worldwide.”