Restaurant-goers were recently hit with the news of dozens of TGI Fridays locations closing down nationwide — including six right in the Bay State.
Could a changing landscape in the food business be a factor?
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association said that in general, some chain restaurant locations at shopping centers and malls aren't doing as much business. Many consumers have changed how and where they shop in recent years.
"Not as many people are going to malls anymore, not as many people are going to shopping centers," President and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association Steve Clark said. "Historically, those places were occupied by chain locations, now you're starting to see some of those locations not do as well."
The Fridays locations that closed in Massachusetts were at or around commercial and shopping centers.
Looking at the food business as a whole, Clark said the fastest-growing segment in the industry is quick casual — where people want to order their food at a counter and just be on their way.
Experts said that although there still of course is an appetite for those traditional sit-down chains, a lot of people are just so busy that a quick bite is all they have time for.
"As much as people might want to sit down and have a meal and have a conversation and have a server come over, we just don't have the time to do that as much as we want," Clark said. "But we are still spending so much time away from home, that we need those kind of quick places."
Boston Restaurant Talk reported that TGI Fridays has closed its locations in Dedham, Mansfield, Marlborough, North Attleborough, Seekonk and Danvers.
The chain said it's offering more than 1,000 transfer opportunities to impacted workers.
Other chain restaurants have closed locations locally in recent years, including Bertucci's and 99.
As for other trends in the food world to watch out for in 2024, expect to see more social media integrated into menu marketing, as people want to sample and share new foods from around the world.
