TGI Fridays files for bankruptcy

Come up to the frozen Northeast. Only $2.649 a gallon here. Refineries can blend in the high RVP volatile refuse in winter.

I think most of the large reefer box trucks run Diesel. That juice was insane for a couple years. Still a bit too high at $3.39/ga
Yes, the reefers run on dyed off-road diesel, substantially cheaper than highway, 60-70 cents less per gallon.
 
Covid killed the salads. Even worse IMO is the loss of the oatmeal, and the yogurt parfait at breakfast. There’s nothing even remotely healthy left on McDonalds menu now.
I'm in the business-oatmeal is one of the few decent things McDonald's has left. Losing grilled chicken was a really bad one...
Rumors have been salads at McDonalds were a poor seller and spoilage was high.
I've been told they were too much labor, and didn't sell well enough (because they priced them too high). Many franchisees/owner-operators have told me the (departed) Dollar Menu, combined with endless remodeling costs, were basically driving them out of business, forcing them to sell out.
 
I am also another big fan or Texas Roadhouse. I also go to them when I am out of town and always a good experience.
They have always been good when I've been there (disclaimer-I work on their frozen margarita machines). And, they have other things other than giant steaks-their BBQ chicken is pretty good, and they sell smaller steaks too, like a 6 oz. sirloin. You don't have to get a monster!
 
No argument on that. Proper steakhouses and chains do not have the same clientele or offerings. This thread started out with TGIF and moved on to TR - not exactly paragons of quality food. Don't expect me to show Wagyu* or just a fine piece of marbled meat from the selection at TR.

*I'll eat something like that once a year. I'm in firm disagreement with Julia Child's First Rule.
Well they can cross but no I wouldn't expect Wagyu but something at least as close as I can get at the grocery store. :LOL:
 
Doesn't look like there is any marbling on any of those unless the camera is off. Not worth the price.

Texas Roadhouse is always 50/50. I ask for med-rare and get shoe leather. Wife asks for well done and gets a blue mooing cheeseburger. I have a better chance getting a properly cooked steak at Applebee's without the exorbitant cost.

Texas Roadhouse is meh like anything else that's a chain these days.
Traveling for work, I have eaten at Texas Roadhouse unmentionable times.

My rule of thumb- always order the steak well-done at Texas Roadhouse, regardless on how one likes their steak cooked. Well done likely comes out medium. And never ever order a steak with the bone in at Texas Roadhouse. Bone in steaks at Texas Roadhouse often come out raw for about half the steak.
 
Private equity raiders have taken their toll as well. The flapping gums in the media blamed Red Lobster’s bankruptcy on endless shrimp but that’s not even remotely true. The company that bought Red Lobster sold the real estate out from under them which forced store owners to begin paying rent on buildings where they didn’t have to before. A similar kind of asset stripping is what put the final nail in Sears’ coffin IIRC.
From what I'm seeing, the same thing is playing out at Frisch's Big Boy restaurants. I know that may not be a name a lot on here know, but it's a Cincinnati-based regional chain and one I grew up going to quite often(in Central KY).

Just in the last few days, it's come out that a lot of corporate-owned stores in the Cincy area are being evicted for non-payment of rent. It seems as though the equity company buying them up sold the buildings, then stopped paying the rent to force the restaurants to close.

I was in visiting my parents yesterday and we had breakfast at the Frisch's in my home town. It was good as always and packed like always, but apparently it's also a corporate store and the staff has heard rumors that they were going to close.

It's a shame too as it's a chain that I have very fond memories of visiting growing up, and I love their take on the Big Boy. I'd be interested to see how it all plays out, too, for franchise-owned restaurants. Frisch's itself its a franchise of the original Big Boy's out of California, and they have exclusive franchise rights now for the areas where they are located. Whatever the case, it seems a mess and it's a shame for a chain that's been around for a long time and has always been a place to get a good and reasonably priced meal.
 
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Traveling for work, I have eaten at Texas Roadhouse unmentionable times.

My rule of thumb- always order the steak well-done at Texas Roadhouse, regardless on how one likes their steak cooked. Well done likely comes out medium. And never ever order a steak with the bone in at Texas Roadhouse. Bone in steaks at Texas Roadhouse often come out raw for about half the steak.
Never had an issue with Texas Roadhouse cooking my steak no bone or bone in...well done for me..and it still comes out juicy...and no pink...
 
From what I'm seeing, the same thing is playing out at Frisch's Big Boy restaurants. I know that may not be a name a lot on here know, but it's a Cincinnati-based regional chain and one I grew up going to quite often(in Central KY).

Just in the last few days, it's come out that a lot of corporate-owned stores in the Cincy area are being evicted for non-payment of rent. It seems as though the equity company buying them up sold the buildings, then stopped paying the rent to force the restaurants to close.

I was in visiting my parents yesterday and we had breakfast at the Frisch's in my home town. It was good as always and packed like always, but apparently it's also a corporate store and the staff has heard rumors that they were going to close.

It's a shame too as it's a chain that I have very fond memories of visiting growing up, and I love their take on the Big Boy. I'd be interested to see how it all plays out, too, for franchise-owned restaurants. Frisch's itself its a franchise of the original Big Boy's out of California, and they have exclusive franchise rights now for the areas where they are located. Whatever the case, it seems a mess and it's a shame for a chain that's been around for a long time and has always been a place to get a good and reasonably priced meal.
I still stop by one that is in Madison Indiana....The Big Boy is still great but smaller in size then it used to be and the strawberry pie is still great with a lot of whipped cream on it....
 
Correct, and if you are out getting a steak at a steakhouse it better be a prime cut for the price and those definitely don't look the part doesn't matter where you're located.

HELLYEAH ^^^^^^^^^^^

I thought the same exact thing…. Those steaks are LUCKY to be graded USDA Grade A Choice.

And most grocery stores sell that and then USDA Grade A Top Choice as their high end beef.

I have seen USDA Grade A Prime steaks in Harris Teeter and even Martins right near where I live. And there is big, big difference between that and even USDA Grade A Top Choice.

Pro Tip for everybody else … They grade the beef by the carcass… So there have been NUMEROUS times where I had actually found USDA Grade A choice beef that looked like the higher end USDA Grade A Top Choice. So don’t go by what the package is labeled… Look at what the steak actually really looks like… I have even seeen some steaks in that lower Grade A bracket look almost like Prime graded beef.

Below is what I got from the nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market.. This is USDA Grade A Top Choice beef. Which surprised me that they actually sold this higher level steak there.

IMG_0608.webp
 
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There are a lot of reason why these 90s restaurants failed. Private Equity is one, food ingredient cost increase is another, labor cost is as well (indirectly due to home price increase and inflation), and then one more after covid: work from home.

I would not do major event in these places and I bet most of these places get their money from lunch during work days. These days people are working from home hybrid and if they are stuck with high rent for years, good luck paying that. The only places doing real well are fast casual require no waiting staff and no tips, and the best example would be like Chipotle and maybe Panera Bread, lots of business, few staff, not much real estates, lots of to go business. They don't need to be the best, but if their food is better when they don't need as many staff they would win.

Today's generation are less likely to go to a restaurant because they have waiters, but rather want to order on an app either for to go or delivered with Uber eat or Doordash. I would go to a restaurant if the food taste better hot (i.e. noodles, hot pot, grilled steaks), not those like TGI Fridays or Apple Bees. BTW, the local taquerias have carne asada burritos, just off the grill meat, for only $10 and no tips. What do I get in these 90s chain? microwaved food for $20-25.
 
Traveling for work, I have eaten at Texas Roadhouse unmentionable times.

My rule of thumb- always order the steak well-done at Texas Roadhouse, regardless on how one likes their steak cooked. Well done likely comes out medium.
That's the Egg Harbor Township, NJ Texas Roadhouse (near Atlantic City).
 
Pro Tip for everybody else … They grade the beef by the carcass… So there have been NUMEROUS times where I had actually found USDA Grade A choice beef that looked like the higher end USDA Grade A Top Choice. So don’t go by what the package is labeled… Look at what the steak actually really looks like… I have even seeen some steaks in that lower Grade A bracket look almost like Prime graded beef.
Better tip: Grading steak by looks/marbling might get you ok steak in the tenderness department, but not in the flavor or hormone/pesticide crap feed department. The 1/2 or 1/4 cow organic grass fed beef we buy is not always winning the USDA looks department but sure tastes good and is plenty tender.

PS Not defending TR. Just giving a different perspective.
 
Lackluster food and pricing increases killed the cat. I’m in awe Buffalo Wild Wings is still chugging along. Previous poster mentioned microwave quality and he was correct IMO.

If your an average or better cook these types of restaurants are to fill a void at times; not anywhere you’d likely look forward to eating at.
 
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