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TGI Fridays has further scaled back its presence on Long Island, closing its Riverhead and Farmingville locations on Monday.
This leaves the casual dining chain with just two restaurants in the region: one in Central Islip at Central Islip Town Center and another in Valley Stream at the Green Acres Mall.
A TGI Fridays employee confirmed the closures, explaining that a new local ownership group has taken over the remaining locations and plans to keep only these two operating.
Both restaurants remain open daily, with hours of operation running from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays.
The closures come amid ongoing financial struggles for the Dallas-based company. TGI Fridays has been working to reduce debt following several tough years.
In early 2023, the chain announced a restructuring effort that resulted in the closure of 36 underperforming locations, including several on Long Island, such as those in Bay Shore, Hauppauge, and Massapequa. Late in 2024, additional local locations in Westbury, Rockville Centre, and Levittown were also closed.
In November, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Earlier this month, a bankruptcy court approved the sale of nine corporate-owned restaurants, including locations at the Dallas-Fort Worth area and in Maryland, to raise funds for creditors.
TGI Fridays, founded nearly 60 years ago in New York City, brought back former CEO Ray Blanchette to manage the company through its bankruptcy, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Outside of the now shuttered Bay Shore location. (GLI Photo/ Michael White)
