In a recent social media exchange, two well-known restaurant chains, Chili’s Grill & Bar and TGI Fridays, engaged in a light-hearted verbal sparring match regarding the superiority of their mozzarella sticks. The banter took a sharp turn when TGI Fridays insinuated that Chili’s might not even be in operation anymore.
On Thursday, Chili’s retweeted a post from TGI Fridays that hinted at their lack of expertise in the mozzarella stick realm. “Somebody tell [Chili’s] to stay in their lane. Y’all are not mozzarella stick people. We are. That’s it. That’s the tweet,” TGI Fridays tweeted on the platform X.
In response, Chili’s quipped, “@ us next time… Also, we honestly didn’t know you were still open. Congrats!” showing a willingness to engage in the playful rivalry.
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Followers of Chili’s seemed to echo the sentiment, with some expressing surprise that TGI Fridays was still operational. One user commented, “BURNNN! This calls for a trip to Chili’s!” while another exclaimed, “OMG, I think I just witnessed a murder.” A different follower added, “I can’t remember the last time I saw a TGI Fridays except for in the frozen section.”
To the latter comment, Chili’s cheekily replied, “ooooop.”
Despite the jabs, many users weighed in on which chain holds the title for better food offerings.
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“They’ll never have the triple dipper, and for that, they will envy you forever,” one enthusiastic supporter stated, to which Chili’s responded, “They can never achieve triple dipper excellence.”
Another user expressed their desire to visit Chili’s solely based on the exchange, stating, “Might have to get Chilis tonight just because of this tweet. Roasted them.”
“We bring the heat!” Chili’s enthusiastically replied, inviting the user to visit.
TGI Fridays maintained its competitive edge without directly naming Chili’s in a separate post on X, posting, “is the cheese pull challenge accepted or nah??”
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One follower of TGI Fridays responded with a cryptic, “@Chilis” accompanied by a set of eyeballs, to which TGI Fridays replied, “we’re waiting too…”
Despite the exchanges, neither Chili’s nor TGI Fridays returned requests for comment regarding the playful verbal tussle that unfolded on Thursday.
Prior to the social media interactions, TGI Fridays announced its new menu on X and proclaimed that their mozzarella sticks are better than ever, humorously adding, “happy hour’s calling. life’s good.”
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The company is working on revitalizing its brand after a tumultuous year marked by numerous closures and a bankruptcy filing. TGI Fridays, along with other restaurants, sought bankruptcy protection in 2024 as they struggled to manage the debt accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
TGI Fridays’ presence in the U.S. has dwindled, with only 85 establishments currently operating—less than one-third of the locations open at the beginning of 2024. The chain has closed over two dozen sites, pivoting to a franchisee-led model by selling 27 out of its 39 corporate units during its restructuring efforts. Former CEO Ray Blanchette returned in January 2025 to steer the company through its recovery.
In addition to focusing on menu enhancements, TGI Fridays is rebranding itself by shifting its marketing strategy to engage with consumers via social media rather than relying heavily on traditional advertising methods.
Finance Newso Business’ Daniella Genovese and Aislinn Murphy contributed to this report.
