TGI Friday’s CEO on how he will rescue once bankrupt restaurant chain

Opening Bid

The fight for restaurant relevance. Within the past year, the sit-down dining industry has seen its fair share of troubles. Hooters filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Red Lobster managed to emerge from bankruptcy in September 2024. At the heart of the bankruptcies were changing demographics, shifts in how people work and poor decisions on food quality and experience. No sit-down restaurant encompasses this more than TGI Fridays. The company filed for bankruptcy in November 2024 following years of missteps. The company closed dozens of locations as part of the bankruptcy process. What has emerged is a much smaller franchisee led chain that is hoping to find some form of relevance again after a storied history with cocktails and potato skins. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with the person responsible for that turnaround, TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette. Blanchette started as a manager trainee in 1989, rising the ranks to hold the CEO role for six years. Blanchette left in 2023. Can he save TGI Fridays? The clock is ticking.

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.

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Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Langston Sessoms

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