TGI Friday's Turns 40!

[ragingfish]

I know I'm late, and we all know I hate my job, but I AM proud of my company, and thought they deserved a plug for their 40th anniversary (which was officially on March 15th.)!Quote »T.G.I. Friday's(R) Restaurants Celebrate 40th Birthday TodayFriday March 18, 12:22 pm ET- Restaurants in 54 Countries, From New York City to Tianjin, China Hold Toast Around the World to Commemorate Milestone at 5:30 p.m. TonightCARROLLTON, Texas, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- T.G.I. Friday's restaurants, a pioneer in American casual dining, officially celebrates its 40th birthday today, Friday, March 18, 2005. The legendary restaurant brand marks its 40th year in business with a series of national and international events. Starting tonight at 5:30 p.m. locally at 756 T.G.I. Friday's restaurants in 54 countries around the world, staff and guests will lift their glasses to toast 40 years of success.The 'Toast Around the World' was selected from an internal toast competition among T.G.I. Friday's employees around the world. The winning toast was written by David Sourk, the general manager of the Saint Charles, Missouri T.G.I. Friday's restaurant, and will be unveiled internationally tonight. This toast marks the beginning of a new tradition at Friday's® restaurants. Following the birthday celebration, the tradition continues every Friday at 5:30 p.m. with a member of the staff at each Friday's restaurant worldwide giving the commemorative toast. "Friday's has always had a legacy of fun," says Carlson Restaurants Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Snead. "The toast around the world creates unity amongst our restaurants worldwide and is an excellent way to celebrate our first four decades of fun."Complementing the worldwide toast, local Friday's restaurants will host a birthday bash for their guests. "Hitting 40 is a landmark occasion," says Snead. "We are throwing a party -- birthday cake, balloons, party favors -- the whole thing. The party is for everyone -- current and former team members, managers, long time guests and anyone who wants to join the fun." Although the party will be held around the world tonight, Snead and Friday's executives will kick off the 'Toast Around the World' and launch the 40th birthday festivities from the Addison, Texas restaurant. To find a restaurant location, visit http://www.fridays.com.To add to the festivities, Friday's restaurants will also introduce a new line of beverages. Credited with inventing the popular Long Island Iced Tea, the Friday's brand tips its hat to its 40-year heritage of cocktail and beverage innovation with the introduction of Sparkling Iced Teas. Available for a limited time, the beverage line includes The Long Island Iced Tea, Long Beach Iced Tea, Caribbean Iced Tea and Texas Iced Tea, all of which are topped off with Korbel sparkling wine.As part of the 40th birthday celebration, T.G.I. Friday's restaurant is bringing back a few of their infamous 'buttons' for a limited time. "People have been talking about Friday's buttons for 40 years. We know the buttons will bring back a lot of great memories for guests," says Mike Archer, executive vice president and chief operating officer, T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A. "Who could resist asking someone wearing a 'Spuds Were Never The Same Again After '74' button, 'what does that mean?' This type of trivia is an engaging way to educate guests and team members about Friday's unique culture." The button trivia features fun facts about how the Friday's brand has changed the face of casual American dining over the past 40 years. For example, Friday's invented Loaded Potato Skins, is credited with naming 'happy hour,' and popularized frozen and ice cream drinks, all of which are now staples within the industry.To further celebrate their 40th birthday with staff, the restaurant will launch '40 Days of Friday's Fun' today through April 26, 2005. A major feature of this internal promotion is a system-wide team member game of F-R-I-D-A-Y-S Birthday Bingo, which tests employee knowledge about Friday's history and menu, their skills at sales and speed-of-service, and their familiarity with the restaurant's recipes. For 40 consecutive days, Bingo participants can win daily and weekly prizes.In 1965, Alan Stillman opened the first T.G.I. Friday's restaurant to create a meeting place for young professional singles. The restaurant was located in New York City, on the corner of First Avenue and 63rd Street, and experienced instant success. Over the past 40 years, Friday's restaurants have played a vital role in popularizing the casual dining experience, ultimately making it an icon within the restaurant industry. In 2003, the Friday's brand demonstrated that it continues to be in touch with what diners are looking for when it was the first national restaurant chain to partner with the Atkins Nutritional Approach® to offer low carb menu items. Friday's restaurants are currently in the middle of a major brand revitalization totaling more than $200 million for remodeling and millions more in menu development, training, and a manager-retention program, making it the largest capital investment in Carlson Companies' history. With 250 company owned U.S. restaurants already in the midst of the update, the Friday's brand celebrates its 40th year with a decidedly younger new look, and an experienced eye on the future.Note to Editor: Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of TGI Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies, Inc., a world leader in the hospitality, travel and marketing industries. As of today, Carlson Restaurants operate, franchise and license 756 restaurants in 54 countries, including T.G.I. Friday's®, Friday's® Front Row® Sports Grill and Friday's American Bar®. Carlson Restaurants Worldwide is a division of Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies. For more information on Friday's brands, visit http://www.fridays.com.Source: T.G.I. Friday'sIf it's been a while since you've been to a Friday's, you should give us another shot. We have some stellar dishes and AWESOME drinks!

[AKLGT]

i like their artichoke and spinach dip. yum!!!

[Ponyota]

I used to live in St. Charles Mo. Nothing wrong with being proud of the company you work for! I would give em' a try again but there isn't one here. I don't think anyways? I could be wrong.

[tnpartsguy]

My favorite (and TN's oldest?) TGIF was closed and torn down about a year of so ago. It was there for at least 20 years, maybe more, on Elliston Place in Nashville. It started going downhill about 5 years ago when the frats at (Edit to keep me from being sued for talking about the lovely students thereof) a large private univeristy starting using it as a hangout, and refusing to tip their servers. Got where the servers were refusing to wait on the frat boys, and when forced, would walk out rather than work their butts off for nothing.I sure miss that Fridays.... right now the road was Nashville's 1st Applebee's too, last full-service resturant I worked in before I got out of food service all-together.... it's gone now too, torn down about 7 yrs ago, and replaced with a Logan's Roadhouse.I sure wish we had a TGIF closer to me....it's at least a 45 min drive to one now.Something else....a lot of Fridays's have a "This way to Castle Heights" sign in them. Castle Heights was a millitary school here in Lebanon until 1986. http://www.castleheights.com I live right off the former campus.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by Ponyota »I used to live in St. Charles Mo. Nothing wrong with being proud of the company you work for! I would give em' a try again but there isn't one here. I don't think anyways? I could be wrong. According to my corporate directory, there's one on 2000 First Capital Drive South in Saint Charles, MO 63303.

[Sputnik]

None up here. Edit: Just went to their website and gotta say I wish they had one up here! That menu looks yummy!

[Ponyota]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »According to my corporate directory, there's one on 2000 First Capital Drive South in Saint Charles, MO 63303.There might be... But I don't live there... I haven't lived there since 1984.. lolBtw.. First Capital used to be the second largest cruising capital. I sure had alot of fun driving First Capital in my high school days

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by Ponyota »There might be... But I don't live there... I haven't lived there since 1984.. lolBtw.. First Capital used to be the second largest cruising capital. I sure had alot of fun driving First Capital in my high school days Whoops, my bad! You are correct, the closest Fridays to you is 48 miles SE. 14921 US Highway 31 NorthCarmel, IN 460323 miles more, you're at Indy.

[ColonelPanic]

Woah, I just realized I have not been there since the Columbus meet last summer...

[Kari]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Woah, I just realized I have not been there since the Columbus meet last summer... Me either, but that could be because we don't have one within about 2 hours of here.

[Mase]

I love anything off their Jack Daniel's BBQ menu. The nearest one is about 1hr 45mins from here. I've been loyal enough to make that trip a couple times though. Tell your company to build one on base here!ah, now my mouth is watering. Jack Daniels BBQ chicken, shrimp, and ribs...

[wicked1981]

Quote, originally posted by Mase »I love anything off their Jack Daniel's BBQ menu. I was thinking the same thing but I like the Jack Daniels steak!! Hmm Im hungry now.

[ragingfish]

Kari -- if you're interested, I might be able to scrounge up some TGIF coupons to offer as prizes for the member of the month program. Lemme know!