TGI Fridays just abruptly closed more NJ locations

Maybe this restaurant should rebrand itself as TGI, Not All Of Them.

Two more TGI Fridays locations just closed down in a very abrupt manner. The company hasn’t been doing well. TGI Fridays practically pioneered the fast-casual dining concept in the United States. Now, it’s considering filing for bankruptcy. The company once had more than 270 locations in this country. Now there are 155.

They’ve been disappearing from the New Jersey landscape, including the one that was nearly my home away from home in the 90s. I wrote about it here back in January. That one in Iselin, which was a frequent haunt of mine, closed with little warning, along with six others.

Now, like ominous writing on a wall, the Bridgewater location suddenly closed. Along with that, one in Watchung was just shuttered. It looks like they’re simply not making enough money to pay the bills.

Lawsuits have been filed in Somerset County Superior Court by the owners of the Somerville Shopping Center in Bridgewater and the Blue Star Shopping Center in Watchung, where those locations resided. They’re seeking back rent from TGI Fridays. The Bridgewater location owes more than $71,000 on a lease with a monthly rent of $20,457. Blue Star is seeking over $95,000 for a lease with a monthly rent of $18,791.

When these restaurant closures are described as abrupt, that often means even most of the staff was blindsided. People showing up for their shift to find a note on a locked door has been common.

According to the TGI Fridays website, there are only eight locations left open in New Jersey.

Those are West Orange, Linden, Manahawkin, Turnersville, East Windsor, Brick, Burlington, and Toms River.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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