(SavorNation) – America’s casual restaurant chains aren’t nearly as laid-back about their fried cheese dishes.
On Wednesday, TGI Fridays ignited a feud with Chili’s after knocking the latter’s mozzarella sticks on social media, while implying their own to be superior.
“Somebody tell [chili emoji] to stay in their lane,” the social media team behind TGI Fridays wrote in a now-deleted tweet, as seen in a screengrab shared to X. “Y’all are not mozzarella stick people. We are. That’s it. That’s the tweet.”
Chili’s on Thursday clapped back with a spicy remark, seemingly referencing the recent closures of dozens of TGI Fridays restaurants.
“@ us next time,” the Chili’s post began. “also, we honestly didn’t know you were still open. congrats!”
The response from Chili’s was viewed millions of times on X, prompting multiple users to describe the remark as “savage.” A handful, though, seemed to be put-off by both Chili’s and TGI Fridays. One X user described the back-and-forth as two “overpriced trash chain[s]" trash-talking each other.
“Both companies too scared to @ each other is kinda lame,” another observed.
TGI Fridays responded too, challenging Chili’s to a “cheese pull challenge,” apparently to test the stretchiness of their deep-fried mozzarellas. Chili’s has yet to publicly accept or decline the “challenge.”
Representatives for Chili’s and TGI Fridays did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This week’s feud also came after TGI Fridays introduced a “bold new menu” and heavily touted their “reintroduced” mozzarella stick offerings which can be ordered with buffalo, garlic parmesan or whiskey glaze sauces.
"Fridays is where mozzarella sticks went from just another bar snack to a must-have,” TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette said in a Tuesday press release.
