TGI Friday’s quietly closed dozens of restaurant locations last week as the chain reportedly prepares to file for bankruptcy protection.
The company’s store locater currently lists 164 locations in the U.S., down from the 213 that were open last week, CNN first reported.
The sudden closures come after the value-restaurant chain previously closed 36 “underperforming” restaurants across 12 U.S. states in January. TGI Friday’s at the time said the move was part of its “ongoing growth strategy.”
TFI Friday’s did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment on last week’s restaurant closures. The company has not released a list of the locations that have closed.
Local reports recently shed some light on where restaurants affected by the latest wave of closures are located.
TGI Friday’s locations in Bridgewater and Watchung, both in Central Jersey abruptly closed, according to mycentraljersey.com. Another location in Middletown Township in Pennsylvania also closed, according to a local news report. Additional local reports indicate that restaurants across California, New York and Ohio are also affected.
The Dallas-based casual-dining pioneer has struggled to execute on a growth plan as customers on tighter budgets exhibit a preference for lower-priced meals. They’ve even scoffed at faster-food prices at industry stalwarts like McDonald’s, which they say are too high.
