The owner of the UK's US-style restaurant chain TGI Fridays has gone into administration, putting 4,500 jobs at risk, including dozens in Aberdeen.
Hostmore, the hospitality company which operates the brand's UK diners, has struggled to find a "lasting solution" to save the business amid heavy losses and mounting debts.
The firm has implemented a number of cost-cutting measures in order to save the long-term struggling restaurant, including management changes and selling outlets.
Hostmore hopes it can now complete the sale of 87 of the chain's sites by the end of September, protecting the brand on British high streets and saving thousands of jobs.
A company spokesperson told the BBC: "The sale process remains ongoing, with no decisions having been made to close any existing stores, and TGI Fridays continues to operate normally across the country."
The firm added that there is "a long list of potential acquiring parties" with several bids on the table.
Any closures would be a huge blow to Aberdeen's beach, which has lost Frankie and Benny's, Chiquito and Bella Italia in recent years. TGI's branch in Union Square would also close.