The space at 34 Union Square East and 16th Street has been on the market for months. Now The Commercial Observer reports that this location will soon close.
Dennis Riese, the chairman of the board and CEO of The Riese Organization, which owns the license for Fridays in Manhattan, said, "Union Square is so hot down there these days with real quality restaurants it just doesn't compete well."
Those of you who yearn for T.G.I.'s Sesame Jack™ Chicken Strips or Jack Daniel's® Chicken & Shrimp can find that fare at the eight other locations in the city. Riese is also mulling opening a outpost in Murray Hill.
Previously on EV Grieve:
The T.G.I. Friday's space is for lease on Union Square
If a chain can't make rent here, then who can?
ReplyDeleteI still don't get people who'd come to the EV to go to a TGIF, or visit Coney Island to eat at Applebee's, or go to Times Square to dine at Olive Garden. Maybe a Googler will have an algorithm to, or Neil Tyson or Stephen Hawking can, explain that.
Good riddance to gross overpriced frozen food! Yuck!
ReplyDeleteThis one was also on my deathwatch list, the place never got the food right. TGI Fridays has a really tasty black bean burger and a nice artichoke dip.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, unless there are no good options nearby this really wasn't your destination of choice. I confess to going to the Union Sq location a couple of times after they opened for the artichoke dip, which was quite mushy. The "quality" if that word can be used here was not up to TGIF's usual middling standards, which you even get in Times Sq. and in faraway places like Cincinnati and Louisville. And the pricing is tourist-level high.
I only wish Zen Palate would come back to this location, but they tried to reopen on 18th St and that one failed too. I'm sure Starbucks would love a third location on Union Square, and it would be just as crowded as the other two.
Good riddance to disgusting overpriced frozen food! Yuck!
ReplyDeleteDon't get to excited just yet, another corporate chain restaurant will takes it place with food prepared in Ohio, trucked to NYC then reheated by "chefs" and their microwaves.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe another McDonald's, so there would be one on either side.
ReplyDeleteThe "Town House" has been on Union Square West for well over 30 years, so maybe Ronnie Mac's will take a chance with a second McDonald's for Union Square.
When my family visited they chose to go to TGIF or some such place like that near their hotel at Times Square. I think they went for the comfortable familiarity.
ReplyDeleteDear TGIF
ReplyDeleteFuck you and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.
Sincerely
Local resident.
Hysterical. Their own spokesperson is saying their restaurant is too shitty a chain to compete in NYC.
ReplyDeleteThat place has had a "C" rating since like April... blegh... although every time I walked by it was always pretty crowded, so I'm kind of surprised it's closing!
ReplyDeletethe old zen palate was funky!
ReplyDeleteIt always seemed so out of place in Union Square.never went there.
ReplyDeleteHooray and please bring back Zen Palate - it was fun and the chef was a magician turning walnuts into puffy sweet and sour "chicken".
ReplyDeleteGood news!
ReplyDeletethere is a God
ReplyDelete