In Woodbridge, Virginia, LongHorn Steakhouse will take over an old TGI Fridays. In Watertown, New, York, a former Red Lobster is being converted to a Northern Credit Union bank. And Chick-fil-A is taking over a shuttered Red Lobster in Naples, Florida.
Vacant restaurant chains are creating prime real estate for a wide range of companies looking for spots to grow, especially fast-food chains that want to install drive-thru lanes on spots where diners once sat down for dinner.
Chains like Red Lobster and TGI Fridays filed for bankruptcy this year and closed more than 175 restaurants combined. Red Lobster was driven into bankruptcy by mismanagement under a previous owner, global shrimp supplier Thai Union, while TGI Fridays fell under private equity owner TriArtisan Capital Advisors. Denny’s is also closing 150 restaurants.