A handful of TGI Friday's in New Jersey were caught pulling a fast one on those daring enough to order cocktails from a chain restaurant. The restaurants apparently switching top shelf alcohol for the cheap stuff and pinning customers with the high price tag. The operator of the TGI Fridays in question agreed Wednesday to pay a $500,000 fine for the deed. Attorney General John Hoffman said this stunt, dubbed Operation Swill, should teach every bar and restaurant in the country a lesson about conning customers, the Associated Press reported.
"This unlawful practice took advantage of consumers who were cheated out of what they thought they were purchasing. This fine should send a clear message to every bar and restaurant throughout New Jersey that customers should get what they pay for every time without exception," he said in a statement.
Briad Group, under which the restaurant chain operates, agreed in the settlement that it would not contest the fines and terms levied upon them. A state-appointed monitor to keep watch over the offending stores was also part of the settlement. The monitor is to stay with the stores until June 14 of next year.
"At a very fundamental level, this is a very wrong practice," Michael Halfacre, director of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said.
The Division raided 13 Briad-owned restaurants this month, USA Today reported. Investigators sezied approximately 250 bottles of alcohol during this time. Eight stores were found to be in conjunction with Operation Swill. They were located in Freehold Township, Marlboro, Hazlet, West Orange, East Windsor, Old Bridge, Piscataway and Linden. All have been charged with substitution of a drink. At least 29 restaurants, not all owned by Briad Group, are being accused of switching alcohol, but investigators have not yet named the others.
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