TGIF closing on linn station rd after 30+ yrs.

I remember it was one of my first (or the first) dining experiences in high school without an adult present. We had a gift card last year sometime and even for free, the food was awful. I am sorry to see it close since the employees will be out of a job.

i see the writing on the wall, on a couple of other chains here locally...

Like?

Opened August 1977, Wiki says it's the oldest TGIF in continuous operation. It's where my (now) wife and I would sometimes go for a special night out back when we were quite poor... Sentimental for that reason but I couldn't tell you the last time we'd been.

heard this while shopping today...
i noticed they were heavy on the coupons, practically giving the food away. when this happens that's a sure sign of not such good things to come.. ( if you ask me, it's just a matter of time for their demise)

I always think that when I here spots on 84 WHAS.

30+ years living in Jeffersontown using Linn Station Road as the "back way" to avoid Hurstbourne Lane; 5+ years of working out of an office on Linn Station. I have always wondered how this location ever made it, let alone how long it made it. It is off the beaten path of Hurstbourne Lane restaurants; with very little residential area around it (Hurstbourne Lane blocks it on one side; the industrial park borders the other side.

But was the industrial park actually one of the answers to its survival? The only explanation we could come up with was the number of hotels in the area. Granted they are a limited number but my experience as a business traveler was that you stuck to chains. Number one, business days away from home tend to be long 10+ hour days. What else are you going to do, go back to the hotel at 5:30? Trust me, you and your cohorts just end up in the hotel bar. If you are in an unfamiliar city, you do not know if a local scene exists, let alone where it exists. Plus your work cohorts are not interested in the local food scene. They are looking for a company paid drink and dinner. One explanation for how it lasted that long?? It was certainly not the food.

While I was working at Joe's OK Bayou, that TGIF's was always packed and half the staff at Joe's spent a lot of after hours there. Pretty surprised to see them go. Can't say I'm a fan of the restaurants, but it seemed like an institution back there.

Ok did I miss a news article or something on TV about TGIF closing?

Seriously, 30+ yrs? I haven't google checked this, but I'm extremely surprised to hear that I was 4 yrs old or younger when they opened. If it's true, color me duped, but lines are so often fudged when it comes to time. Be right back...

Ok I just read about it in Business First. A lot of old memories!!!

Probably my best memory there was this high school dance my sophomore year. Just two couples. Nice that the other guy was a senior, so no parents were involved. Server tells us this is his last night because he's heading to FL the next day. The senior guy tries to "impress" the table by picking up the entire tab. So the other three of us leave the dude a $60 gas tip. Gas was maybe $1.10 then (1998), so that got him plenty down the road. Well that's if he didn't spend it at the bar that night.

I was 15 at the time, but, even at that age, it felt good to help someone out a bit.

Fridays Rocks!!! I worked there in the '70's, and we were running 7 and 8 man lines and still getting weeded. You did not work alone till you passed written tests about your station. I learned it all and the menu was a book!! It helped make me the best line cook I could be. Techniques were strong and everything was homemade on premesis!! Sorry to hear they lost their touch. They spawned all the "imitators" though, you can say they were the first "fern bar". Coctail, the movie was filmed partially in the NY store. Competition in the area in those days was W H on the other side of Hurst, and Hurst stopped at taylorsville rd!!!! I keep fond memories.

I remember when they opened. I was in the biz with Victoria Station then. We had a great deal of respect for TGIF's bartenders because of the rigorous training they went through. At the time TGIF was considered pretty radical because of the raucous atmosphere and the hugh menu. It's a shame they couldn't figure at a way to keep re-inventing themselves.

Lots and lots of fond memories of TGIF from "back in the day". "Fridays" was "the" place to go for the 20-something crowd in my old hometown back in the early 80's.. The cocktails were dah bomb. Can't say too many good things about the food/drinks the past 10 years or so however.

Steak and Ale was right there as well on Linn Station Road. I always liked their food better. But hey I was 20 years old.

. It's a shame they couldn't figure at a way to keep re-inventing themselves.

One can never have too many pieces of flair.