Chick-fil-A's new restaurant is set to replace the former TGI Fridays at South Shore Mall.
Chick-fil-A has announced plans to open a new restaurant in Bay Shore, New York, at the South Shore Mall, replacing the former TGI Fridays site. The new location will feature two drive-thru lanes and a total area of 5,500 square feet. Chick-fil-A’s expansion on Long Island continues, with multiple locations already operating and more planned, reflecting a commitment to growth in the region despite challenges faced by existing restaurant chains like TGI Fridays.
Bay Shore, New York – Chick-fil-A has announced plans to open a new restaurant at the South Shore Mall, taking over a site previously occupied by TGI Fridays, which closed in January 2024 due to underperformance. The new location is situated on a 1.5-acre property at 1725 Sunrise Highway and will feature a total area of 5,500 square feet once completed.
The site is currently undergoing the permitting process with the Town of Islip, and no specific opening date has been released. As part of the redevelopment plan, Chick-fil-A will demolish the existing TGI Fridays building to construct the new restaurant, which will include two drive-thru lanes to better service customers.
Chick-fil-A’s expansion into Long Island has been notable, as the company continues to establish its presence in the region through a series of franchise agreements. Following the opening of the new Bay Shore restaurant, Chick-fil-A will operate more than a dozen locations across Nassau and Suffolk counties. The most recent establishment, which opened in East Meadow, offers take-out only, with no seating arrangements available for customers.
Additionally, another Chick-fil-A location is slated to open in summer 2026 at Lake Shore Plaza in Lake Ronkonkoma, replacing a site once held by Weight Watchers. The company has a notable financial profile, with an opening cost for a franchise ranging from $585,500 to $3.3 million and average annual gross sales reported at approximately $8.1 million per location.
The closure of the TGI Fridays at South Shore Mall reflects a broader trend within the restaurant industry, particularly for the TGI Fridays chain, which has faced significant challenges in recent years. The restaurant filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2024 and has drastically reduced its operations from about 600 locations at its peak in 2008 to only 85 remaining in the U.S. today. Currently, the only two TGI Fridays still operating on Long Island are located in Central Islip and Valley Stream.
While details about the Bay Shore Chick-fil-A location remain sparse as the project is still in its early stages, the decision to establish this new site reflects Chick-fil-A’s commitment to further growth and development in the Long Island market.
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