TGI Friday CEO explains how the company is making a comeback after filing for bankruptcy in 2024.
Two popular restaurant chains are throwing shade at each other on social media. One has a better mozzarella stick, while another mozzarella stick was thrown under the belt.
Chili’s Grill & Bar has shared tweets since TGI Friday Thursday, and has unearthed several times in the process.
“Someone tells you to stay in your lane,” TGI Fridays posted to X.
In addition to sharing TGI’s Friday post, Chilean commented, “@@ us next … Also, honestly, I didn’t know you were open yet. Congratulations!”
According to the CEO, Chilean slim menu is winning
Some of our Chilean followers were shocked that TGI Friday was still open.
Another follower wrote, “OMG, I think I just witnessed the murder.” Another follower wrote, “I can’t remember the last time I saw TGI Friday, except for the frozen section.”
Chile wrote “oooopoop” in the latter.
But many followers stuck to the subject at hand: which restaurant chains are better?
TGI Fridays’ US Footrpint has been reduced to 85 restaurants nationwide
Customers walk towards the Chilean Grill & Bar Restaurant in San Antonio. (Getty Images/Calahan O’Hare via Getty Images/Bloomberg)
“They will never have a triple dipper, and for that reason they will want you forever,” one follower wrote to Chilis.
Another follower wrote, “I might have to get some chili tonight for this tweet. I roasted them.”
“We bring fever!” Chile wrote back, “I hope to see you tonight.”
In his own post, TGI Friday failed to call Chile on X, but shared a post from the restaurant chain, saying, “Is the Cheese Pull Challenge accepted or??”
TGI Friday Files for Bankruptcy, Covid-19 Pandemic is due to financial issues
One of TGI’s Friday followers responded by writing a set of eyeballs called “@chilis,” and TGI Fridays replied, “We’re waiting too.”
Chile and TGI Friday did not respond to Fox Business’s requests for comments about the social media fight that continued on Thursday.
Before SPAT, TGI Fridays wrote that there is a new menu on X, adding, “Mozz Sticks are bumping harder. Happy Hour Calls. Life is good.”
TGI Friday Comeback: From Improved Menu to New Social Media Strategy
TGI Fridays is aiming for a comeback after dozens of restaurants have been closed after filing for bankruptcy. (Jim Walsh/Courier-Post/USA Today Network by Imagn Images/Imagn)
The chain has been hoping to make a comeback after a challenging year of seeing dozens of closures and bankruptcy filings.
The company joined many restaurants that filed protections with Bankruptcy Court in 2024 after failing to manage heavy debts accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
| Ticker | safety | last | change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eat | Brinker International Inc. | 148.64 | -2.33 |
-1.54% |
Restaurant footprint in the US has dropped significantly to 85 active sites, less than a third of the number operated in the US in early 2024.
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TGI Friday closed more than 20 locations and during the restructuring, 27 of the 39 corporate-owned units were sold to franchisees, moving into a franchisee-driven model. In January 2025, former CEO Rae Blanchett, founder of Sugarloaf TGIF Management, returned to lead the company again.
Beyond menu innovation, TGI Fridays is changing how it is presented. According to Blanchette, the company focuses on attracting consumers through social media rather than traditional TV ad campaigns “change the voice of the brand, change it anew.”
Daniella Genovese and Aislinn Murphy of Fox Business contributed to this report.
