Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
Applebee's and TGI Fridays are battling it out to attract diners.
- Applebee's and TGI Fridays have struggled in recent years, overhauling their menus and marketing to convince Americans to return.
- We visited both chains to see which is succeeding in their mission to win over sit-down, casual-dining customers.
- Applebee's superior deals and $1 drinks triumphed over Fridays' heavenly mozzarella sticks.
Applebee's and TGI Fridays are scrambling to escape the death trap that is the casual-dining industry.
In 2017, Applebee's closed 99 locations after millennial-centric marketing campaigns fell flat. TGI Fridays, meanwhile, announced plans to overhaul its entire menu, trying to distance itself from the struggling casual-dining business and returning to its "singles' bar" roots.
Basically, two of the most iconic sit-down neighborhood-dining chains are desperate for a change.
In an effort to see who is winning in the battle between TGI Fridays and Applebee's, Business Insider visited both chains to try a mix of classic menu items and attempts at something new. And, the winner between the two was abundantly clear.