T.G.I. Friday's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
T.G.I. Friday's (often referred to as just "Fridays" by the company) is an American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining, with over 500 restaurants across the United States and Canada as of 2004, as well as many other countries around the world. The company is a unit of the Carlson Companies. The name is taken from the expression "TGIF", or "Thank God/Goodness It's Friday." The restaurant chain is known for its appearance, with red-striped canopies, brass railings, Tiffany lamps, and frequent use of antiques as decor.
The newer T.G.I. Friday's franchises, or redesigned ones, are more contemporary, with tacky 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 with a stripe saying "In Here, It's always Friday".
Friday's has a large menu with an emphasis on alcoholic beverages. A section of their menu is dedicated to the "Jack Daniel's Grill," a selection of items flavored with a special Jack Daniel's sauce. Fridays formerly was associated with Atkins approved appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Since May 2005, the menu has discontinued the Atkins name and several platters were redubbed "Low Carb".
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, with wacky uniforms, and every time you had someone's birthday, the whole restaurant crew came around with a cake, and singing Friday's traditional Birthday song. In New York City, they had also operated other restaurant's called Thursday's, etc. with slightly different fare. The restaurant's second location was established in 1970 in Memphis, Tennessee's Overton Square district. That location has since closed.
[edit] Miscellanea
Friday's has also been used as a restaurant for hotels run by the Holiday Inn brand.
Friday's is the model for the New York saloon that Tom Cruise's character wishes to franchise in the movie Cocktail.
The restaurant was parodied in the 1999 movie Office Space as Chotchkie's, poking fun at Friday's hyper-friendly employees and their garish uniforms adorned with "flair" (such as buttons, sunglasses or funny hats). It has also been parodied in The Catherine Tate Show.
The fictional restaurant chain "ShenaniganZ" featured in the 2005 film Waiting... also bears a resemblance to Friday's.
The restaurant also licenses consumer packaged goods such as snack items and frozen foods in grocery stores around the country.
