How Brits are turning their back on 'gimmick' restaurants including TGI Fridays, Salt Bae's steakhouse and Karen's Diner for no-frills food

Brits' attitude to dining out is changing with customers increasingly opting for nofuss, no frills food.

It means diners are increasingly turning their back on more 'novelty' eateries such as TGI Fridays, Karen's Diner and even Salt Bae 's London establishment.

Last week the UK operator of TGIs went into administration and Karen's announced it would be closing all UK branches. Meanwhile, profits at Salt Bae's Nusr-Et Steakhouse have slumped.

It appears that TGI's 'birthday song', the celebrity status of Salt Bae - who became a viral meme in 2017 - and the attitude of Karen's staff is no longer enough to keep customers flowing in.

In comparison, food outlets focusing purely on authentic dining and culinary expertise have seen profits soar.

Hanieh Vidmar, a nutritional therapist and chef, told FEMAIL: 'Brits are moving away from gimmick restaurants because they're craving more authentic dining experiences.

'They care more about where their food comes from, sustainability, how it's prepared, nutritional value and want value for their money, especially in tough economic times.

'Health and sustainability are also top priorities now, and people prefer independent restaurants offering quality over spectacle.'

Zoe Adjey, a senior lecturer in tourism and hospitality at the University of East London, added that Brits have grown 'weary' of these restaurants as the initial 'novelty' has worn off.

Indian restaurant chain Dishoom, for example, saw profits triple in 2022, with diners gushing over dishes such as the black dal and naan breakfast sandwiches.

Hanieh added that Brits seem more likely to opt to dine in an independent restaurant, or even attend a 'supper club' - small, themed gatherings where people can socialise while enjoying good food.

Last week, the owner of TGI Fridays Hostmore, crashed into administration with its 87 UK restaurants at risk.

The company is in the process of trying to sell the UK restaurants - which employ approximately 4,500 brand staff - to new owners, which it hopes to complete by the end of September.

Despite global prominence, the chain's most successful UK branch in Leicester Square only has an average of 3.8 stars on google from 4,330 reviews.

In addition, prices have risen steeply - a fact which has not gone unnoticed by loyal customers.

On UberEats, the Fridays Sesame Chicken Strips with Fries is £17.95 and the cajun chicken pasta is £19.95, while even a side of mozzarella dippers comes in at £7.50.

Liv Dainton said on TikTok: 'Can we just talk about the price of TGI Fridays these days? I feel like I've gone to TGIs most of my life. And me and Cameron love the sesame seed chicken strips. We used to go all the time, we were obsessed.

'Anyway, when I was in Liverpool on Saturday, me and my friend went. I ordered the sesame seed chicken strips like I always do. £20.60! It used to be £14. I'm not ordering a steak, how has it gone up that much?

'It was £16 for one cocktail. The cocktail was almost as much as the food. So I basically spent like £40 including a tip on a lunch - at TGI Fridays!

'And my friend got a starter. Four mozzarella dippers - £9.50! Are they suddenly a fine dining establishment and I just don't know about it?'

TGIs was founded in New York in 1965 but the first UK outlet did not open until 1986 when it came to Birmingham - followed by London's Covent Garden a year later.

The original restaurant was opened by Alan Stillman on the corner of 63rd Street and 1st Avenue in Manhattan and was inspired by circus performances.

The name stands for 'Thank God It's Friday' and the restaurants quickly became known for their bartenders mixing cocktails in dramatic fashion.

TGIs is known for its 'gimmicky' aspects, such as serenading customers with a special birthday song on their big day and staff's iconic red stripy uniforms.

It's not the only place of its kind to have struggled in recent months.

Profits at Salt Bae's Nusr-Et Steakhouse in upmarket Knightsbridge in London nearly halved last year.

The venue made a profit of £1.7million in 2023, down from the £3.3million it made the year before, while sales fell by 31 per cent.

Some dishes are sold for exorbitant prices, including its £630 giant tomahawk steak and £50 gold-plated baklava dessert, with dinner dates sometimes costing customers thousands of pounds.

The London restaurant was opened in September 2021 as Salt Bae, a Turkish chef whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, capitalised on his popularity.

The 41-year-old rocketed to viral fame in 2017 after a video was shared online showing him sprinkling salt on a customer's steak off his forearm in dramatic fashion and extravagantly cutting meat.

His antics have earned him more than 53million followers on Instagram and some of the biggest celebrities in the world, including Leonardo DiCaprio, David Beckham and Lionel Messi booking a seat in his restaurant to see him in the flesh.

His London venue raced out the blocks, raking in more than £8million in sales in its first three months, but just three years later it struggled to make the same turnover over the course of an entire year.

Meanwhile, in the UK criticism of the prices and ambience at the Knightsbridge venue has been almost unrelenting, with overwhelmingly negative reviews.

On review website TripAdvisor Nurs-Et is ranked at 15,019 out of 15,426 restaurants in all of London, with customers giving it 2.5 stars out of five.

Many slammed the prices at the time of opening, which saw the Golden Giant Tomahawk steak sold for £1,450, Golden Giant Striploin for £1,350 and Golden Kafes for £500.

One diner wrote: 'Terrible food. Meat was not at all tasty. Ended up going for a £5 kebab after a £300 bill... this place is the biggest joke in London.'

Meanwhile another added: 'Insult to humanity. Worst food, worst service. Paid over £1,800 for three of us.

'Poor quality, smelly meat, small portions. Rather spend £50 in the local restaurant, will be better! Never again! Stay away, it's a death trap!'

A third added: 'Avoid like the plague. I travel all over the world conducting my business and have eaten in many many restaurants but this is the worst one yet.

'The ones in L.A, Turkey and Dubai are amazing and I couldn't recommend them highly enough but I would never return to Nusr-et in London.'

Last week it was announced that all branches of the Karen's Diner chain would be closing after the brand folded.

The restaurant became famous as staff were deliberately rude to customers - with some clips going viral of staff going 'too far'.

One grandmother was left mortified last year after her waitress called her a 'silly b****' - while a father visiting an Australian branch of the restaurant was called a 'peado' in front of his 14-year-old daughter.

The restaurant chain was inspired by the internet trend of calling someone who always complains or gets angry at hospitality staff a 'Karen'.

The chain's website described it as 'an interactive diner and an absurdly fun experience' - you get waited upon by rude waiters and forced to play a variety of 'stupid games.'

However, the brand had faced a string of controversies recently, including when far-right commentator Katie Hopkins hosted a guest appearance at the chain's Prestwich branch in March, which led to anti-racist protests outside the restaurant.

That month, Karen's Diner in Brighton Marina closed its doors after traces of drugs were found on the premises.

On social media, Karen's advertises with a mixture of rude objects, swear words, and a custom angry 'Karen' emoji.

At Karen's the food is also pricey, with the 'Karen Wants It All' burger costing £23.95 for a beef patty, chicken, bacon, tomato, pickles, lettuce and cheese sauce.

However, to double either the patty or the chicken, it's an extra £4, while switching to sweet potato fries comes at an extra £2.

The vegan burgers are also expensive at £16.95, while a salad would set you back £15.95.

Sarah James, Deputy Digital Editor at Condé Nast Traveller tole FEMAIL: 'After a few years of maximalist, over-the-top restaurants at every turn, our collective tastes have swung firmly back towards a more pared-back dining experience.

'Diners and restaurateurs seem to be prioritising good, old-fashioned hospitality above gimmicks and trends – creating spaces that people want to return to time and time again rather than tick off once, which makes perfect sense when we consider the challenging economic landscape restaurants face right now.

'Just take a quick look at some of the best new restaurants to open over the past year. Restaurants such as The Three Horseshoes in Somerset, The Halfway at Kineton in the Cotswolds and The Devonshire in London are pushing menus which spotlight classic, comfort food dishes (pies, Sunday lunches, a perfect pint of Guinness) without the frills.'