TGIF closes in Westbury and Rockville Centre, down to four locations on LI

TGI Fridays has abruptly closed its Westbury and Rockville Centre restaurants, leaving just four locations standing on Long Island as the troubled restaurant chain reportedly heads toward bankruptcy.

The Nassau County closures are part of a nationwide shutdown that has eliminated nearly 50 TGI Fridays locations in the past week. The chain’s remaining Long Island presence includes three Suffolk County restaurants — in Riverhead, Farmingville and Central Islip — and one Nassau location in Valley Stream.

Nationwide, TGI Fridays’ restaurant count has plummeted from 213 to 164 locations in just one week, according to CNN Business and other reports. The sudden closures have hit multiple states, including New Jersey, Ohio, California and Florida, with some cities like Columbus, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York, and the state of Connecticut losing all their locations.

This marks the second major round of closures for TGI Fridays this year, following the shutdown of 36 “underperforming” locations in January. TGI Fridays in Bay Shore, Hauppauge and Massapequa were on the chopping block that time around.

Recent reports from Bloomberg indicated that the embattled chain is in discussions with lenders to secure financing that would allow it to continue operations during an anticipated Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

The company has not yet officially commented on the recent closures or released a comprehensive list of affected locations. It additionally has not replied to a request for comment about the near future of the existing TGI Fridays on Long Island.

For Long Island residents seeking the familiar TGI Fridays experience, the four surviving locations represent the last vestiges of a brand that has been a fixture in American dining for decades. The dramatic reduction in locations suggests significant challenges ahead for the restaurant chain as it navigates its financial difficulties.

Prior coverage

TGI Fridays closes 3 LI locations as part of wider company restructuring

_{Top photo: Riverhead TGI Fridays (Google Maps)}