(NEXSTAR) — TGI Fridays has closed nearly 50 stores in the U.S. as reports that the chain may become the latest to file for bankruptcy grow.
Multiple outlets reported a notable change on the company’s store locator webpage: instead of the 213 TGI Fridays locations that were open earlier this month, the webpage shows only 164 restaurants remain as of Oct. 29.
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TGI Fridays had 270 locations nationwide at the start of the year, according to CNN. In January, it closed 36 “underperforming” locations throughout the U.S. in order to “focus on streamlining operations.” Restaurants in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Virginia were shuttered, according to reports from Nexstar affiliates. Other impacted locations were in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Some of those same states are seemingly impacted by the latest sudden closures.
A location in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, abruptly closed last week, according to Nexstar’s WPRI. A sign posted to the location’s door said “Fridays has made the difficult decision to close our restaurant effective October 24th.” Other recently shuttered Fridays locations were in Brighton, Clifton Park, Syracuse, and Wilton, New York.
The Syracuse TGI Fridays closed without notifying the mall they were located in, officials told Nexstar’s WSYR. CBS News reports additional locations that have closed were in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio.
TGI Fridays did not immediately respond to Nexstar’s request for comment.
Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the company was seeking new financing as it prepared to file for bankruptcy protection. John Bringardner, head of Debtwire, told CNN the chain could pursue Chapter 11 in order to “restructure its debt” and “emerge from bankruptcy.”
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If TGI Fridays does file for bankruptcy this year, it would mark yet another retail or restaurant chain to do so this year. Others include Big Lots, Dirt Cheap, True Value, and Red Lobster — the latter recently exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, five months after beginning the process.
Other chains have closed or announced plans to close dozens of locations this year. Earlier this month, Denny’s said it expects to close 150 low-performing restaurants in response to flagging sales while Walgreens will close 1,200 stores in the coming years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
