TGI Fridays hails ‘comeback' with new menu launch after UK chain rescued

Yahoo

a day ago

TGI Fridays has hailed a 'comeback' with a new menu and plans to revitalise restaurants after the chain secured a rescue deal last year but made a string of closures.
The US-themed restaurant and cocktail bar said it had undergone a significant transformation since being bought out of administration in October.
The comeback campaign, which bosses described as a 'full brand reset', will involve half of its dishes updated and 70% of the grill items reworked, incorporating new flavours and more customisation.
It also plans to revive the brand's 'Americana' influence and theatre theme – with some locations reintroducing photo booths and candyfloss machines.
TGI Fridays said it was launching a comeback offer to mark the relaunch and prompt more diners to come back.
Diners who order from the menu across Independence Weekend – the US holiday celebrated between July 4-6 – will receive a voucher for a free return meal, valid on weekdays for the rest of the month.
TGI Fridays first opened in New York in 1965 with a party-led theme and continues to operate a string of restaurants in the US.
After its previous UK operator fell into administration, 51 restaurants were acquired by private equity firms Breal Capital and Calveton UK.
While the deal secured a future for the chain on Britain's high streets, it led to the closure of 35 restaurants, resulting in about 1,000 staff being made redundant.
TGI said it now operates 49 restaurants and has about 2,500 members of staff.
Restructuring efforts since the takeover have resulted in a leaner and more streamlined business with a significant reduction in overhead costs, it said on Friday.
It also highlighted an improvement in sales in recent months, since the start of 2025.
Prior to the acquisition, TGI faced falling sales in the UK amid wider struggles for the casual dining sector, which has grappled with weaker consumer spending.
Julie McEwan, chief executive of TGI Fridays UK, said: 'This is an exciting moment for TGI Fridays – a full brand reset that reinforces everything people have always loved about us.
'TGI Fridays has a rich heritage of bold flavour, high-energy hospitality and unforgettable celebrations – and we've gone back to those roots to bring that magic into a new era.
'Over the past eight months, we've restructured the business, invested in our incredible team, and rebuilt our offer around quality, value and experience.'