The original video showed a woman walking around New York City for 10 hours and getting harassed by men on the street.
In TGI Fridays' version, the woman is replaced by appetizers - including a mozzarella stick in one scene and bruschetta in another - and men shout at the food, saying "Damn!" and "Nice!" and "How you doing?"
The ad, called #AppCalling, "isn't meant to be taken seriously," according to Mashable. It was made by Rob Bliss, the same person behind the original catcalling video.
"But, replacing women with fried food doesn't make the ad any less uncomfortable, even if it is meant to be a joke," writes Eater's Khushbu Shah.
Many people are offended by the ad.
Srsly, if you think trivializing harassment will help you sell product, who do you think your audience is? #notbuyingit #appcalling
- Rebecca Faria (@RebelBeckerton) March 13, 2015#AppCalling isn't making fun of catcallers. It celebrates their behavior and turns women into food. Who approved this? @TGIFridays
- Zosia Sztykowski (@zosiasztyk) March 13, 2015I really hate this @TGIFridays ad, #StreetHarassment should not be trivialized. http://t.co/N9q4s2DxCR #AppCalling #fail #NotBuyingIt
- Holly Kearl (@hkearl) March 13, 2015Harassing women is cool,amirite? "@TGIFridays: Nobody likes a catcaller. But who can blame someone for #AppCalling? https://t.co/YiIycjFXrT"
- SJW LVL 100 (@Auragasmic) March 12, 2015Nothing like trivializing sexual harassment, good job @TGIFridays, way to be! #AppCalling
- Ana Lucasey (@AnaLucasey) March 12, 2015Before @TGIFridays , none thought to use sexual harassment to sell appetizers. #AppCalling changes that. pic.twitter.com/oFNEjPCZ50
- George Nakhleh (@NakhG) March 2, 2015The ad is promoting TGI Fridays' new endless appetizers deal, which allows customers to order any number of appetizers for just $10.
The chain had a similar deal last year. But last year's promotion limited customers to one type of appetizer. This year, customers can choose a variety of starters.
Watch the full ad here.