From TGI Fridays to Goodbye Fridays: Casual Dining Is DeadStrip malls are bleeding orange and white. Hooters, the breastaurant that defined frat-boy fine dining, just shuttered dozens of locations faster than a 2-for-1 happy hour check. Bankrupt? Technically. Dying? Not according to corporate. They’re calling it a “strategic franchise optimization”—which is rich coming from a brand whose strategy once involved tank tops and tangy wings.

This week, we pull apart the greasy layers of why Hooters, Bahama Breeze, and even TGI Fridays are going the way of Blockbuster: inflation, broke millennials, and a culture no longer thirsting for faux sports bar cleavage. Tune in for a deep-fried, darkly funny look at America’s economic gut-punch—served with sarcasm and blue cheese.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.