TGI Fridays files for Chapter 11

[glenwolde]

That's kind of sad. I took my now-wife on our first date there. In 1980 it was the happening place. We now live two miles from where it was. Funny.

The date was a disaster. We had just gotten our food and a Mom and her little boy were rushing by the table (later I figured out she was trying to get him to the restroom). The kid stops, bends over, and barfs two feet from our table. After a minute a waiter walked by and draped a napkin over it. About one minute later we were out the door. Nobody looked like they were going to do much about it and it's not like we wanted to watch that.

Good times! We went and got a pizza and a pitcher at the Pizza Hut. She was way underage but didn't get carded.

Of course once we got married that wasn't an issue. In Texas, a minor may consume an alcoholic beverage if it is in the visible presence of the minor's adult parent, guardian or spouse. The original law was underage women could drink if accompanied by their husband. But not the other way around. I guess they went all PC on that and updated it to the 20th Century at some point.

 

[johngalt]

I has been a long time since I've been there, it struck me as one of those chains that kept cheapening their quality and ran it into the ground.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I recall they had good fried green beans with horseradish ranch dip.

Beyond that I'm drawing a blank.

 

[Rudi]

Another one bites the dust.

 

[bobsguns]

In their heyday, Fridays didn't have a lot of competition. The ones in Nashville always did good business.

Now there's Olive Garden, Chili's, O'Charlie's, etc. They just closed a boatload of Applebee restaurants this week too.

 

[Greyman50]

Afraid this is just the beginning , many marginal eateries will fold soon.

 

[yaktamer]

I thought they had already gone out of business.

 

[SMSgt]

Last one here closed. It was torn down and a new chain restaurant built. And so the cycle continues.

 

[AugieTN]

Had a TGIF about a mile and half from my house. They closed. I don't get it because they were always busy for lunch & dinner

 

[UncleEd]

I remember when it started. Thought it was a gimmicky outfit.

Good for a short while.

Like so much corporate efforts, it's the bottom line and the customer can go to.....

McDonald's is the one outstanding chain.

 

[LVSteve]

The only ones left in Vegas are integrated into a few hotel/casinos. The standalone locations are gone. Definitely a gimmicky place.

 

[DWalt]

The local one closed about five years ago. I shed no tears over their departure, never liked it.

 

[quikdraw67]

I'm meeting a friend there for lunch today. It's more about catching up than the food.

I'll post my findings after.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Wife and I quit going to the "corporate" eateries and bars a long time ago. More fun to find the local establishments. And the food is usually better too.

John

 

[moosedog]

Guess I missed that one. Never been to TGI Fridays.

 

[JET4]

I have/had one about two - three miles from my house, never been there.

 

[glenwolde]

They probably didn't invent it, but one of the things they popularized was stuffed potato skins. The other thing I remember is the Jack Daniels ribs.

Gimmicky? Yes. I think they kind of invented the genre. They were popular because at the time they were unusual, the food was pretty good and reasonably priced, and they did a bangin' bar business. I think they made more off the bar than the restaurant. The bar was always full.

Kind of a miracle they made it this long.

 

[johngalt]

Pizza Hut is the one I don't understand how they keep hanging on. Their quality is a pale imitation of what it used to be.

 

[Farmer17]

One recently closed by me and I went there a few times just because it was convenient, and our waitress was missing several teeth and looked like she needed a bath. The food was average at best and they tore it down and put in a Cheddar's which has a nice atmosphere and excellent tasting food.

 

[quikdraw67]

Pizza Hut is the one I don't understand how they keep hanging on. Their quality is a pale imitation of what it used to be.

That there is still a Pizza Hut in Dunmore PA is beyond me.

Dunmore borders Scranton. It has a sizeable Italian heritage population and lots of good mom and pop pizza joints from take out only to sit down restaurants.

Pizza Hut would be my absolute last choice for a tray of pizza.