Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
T.G.I. Friday's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007) |
| T.G.I. Friday's | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
| Founded | New York City (1965) |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas |
| Industry | Casual dining Restaurant |
| Parent | Carlson Restaurants |
| Slogan | "Give me more Friday's" |
| Website | www.fridays.com |
T.G.I. Friday's (often shortened to "Friday's") is a popular American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining, with over 500 restaurants worldwide. The company is a unit of the Carlson Companies. Its name is taken from the expression "TGIF" (short for "Thank God It's Friday"). The chain is known for its appearance, with red-striped canopies, brass railings, Tiffany lamps, and frequent use of antiques as decor.
Contents |
The Friday's restaurant chain was founded in 1965 in New York City, featuring standard American cuisine, bar food, and alcoholic beverages. The exterior featured a red-and-white striped awning, and blue paint, and the interior included wooden floors, Bentwood chairs, and striped tablecloth. The bar area added brass rails, and stained glass. The employees were young and wore wacky uniforms, and every time someone had a birthday, the entire restaurant crew came around with a cake and sang Friday's traditional birthday song. The restaurant's second location was established in 1970 in Memphis, Tennessee's Overton Square district. That location has since closed.
The oldest continually operating Friday's is in Louisville, Kentucky on Linn Station Road. It opened in August 1977 and at the time was the 31st store in operation.
Friday's has also been used as a restaurant for hotels run by the Holiday Inn brand. On January 17th, 2007, the owner of TGI Friday's UK, Whitbread PLC, sold their 45 restaurants back to TGI Friday's UK Limited (a consortium consisting of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc. and ABN Amro Capital) thus exiting a partnership which went back to 1986. [1]
Historically, the chain's highest grossing location is at Covent Garden which opened in 1987 in Central London. [2]
The newer T.G.I. Friday's franchises (as well as redesigned restaurants) are more contemporary, with wallpaper, granite exteriors, and red-and-white striped lamps instead of Tiffany. The exteriors have stucco, the entrance doors have "F" shaped handles, and a metal cup above the door has a stripe saying "In Here, It's always Friday". Most Friday's have a propeller and a canoe on display as part of their antiques.
Friday's has a large menu with an emphasis on alcoholic beverages. "Ultimates" drinks are served in an 18 oz. glass, and often made with top shelf and darker liquors. A section of the menu is dedicated to the "Jack Daniel's Grill", a selection of items flavored with a special Jack Daniel's sauce.
Fridays formerly served Atkins approved appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Since 2006, the menu has discontinued the Atkins name and several platters were redubbed "Low Carb".
T.G.I.Friday's sporadically participates in a promotion known as the "3-Course Menu". With this menu, guests can pay $12.99 (or $16.99 for higher priced entrées) and choose an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert from a predetermined list.
The company licenses its name to Heinz for snack items and frozen foods sold in grocery stores.
Friday's has also expanded outside of the US. The chain maintains a presence in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Venezuela.[3]
- Official website
- Official UK website
- International locations
- History of T.G.I. Friday's
- TGI Friday's Copycat Recipes
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Coffeehouse: | Caffè Nero • Caffè Ritazza • Café Rouge • Clements Café • Coffee 1 • Coffee Republic • Coffee Primo • Costa Coffee • Krispy Kreme • McCafe • Starbucks |
| Fast food chains: | Baskin-Robbins • Chicken Cottage • Domino's Pizza • Favorite Chicken • Little Chef • Pret a Manger • Wimpy • Yogen Fruz • McDonald's • Subway • Papa John's Pizza • Pizza Hut • Pizza Express • Burger King • KFC • Prezzo • EasyPizza • Strada • Bella Italia • Dixy Chicken • Happy Eater • Millie's Cookies • Quiznos Sub • Shakeaway • Spud U Like • Wrapid |
| Casual dining: | Aberdeen Angus Steak Houses • Australian Homemade • Beefeater • Berni Inn • Brewers Fayre • Fine Burger Company • Frankie & Benny's • Hard Rock Cafe • Harry Ramsden's • Harvester • Hungry Horse • Nando's • Planet Hollywood • Rainforest Cafe • T.G.I. Friday's • Tony Roma's • Wagamama |