An iconic chain that became known for its fun cocktails and family dining, TGI Fridays has seen a sharp decline in recent years, leading to a bankruptcy filing in November. WSJ’s Heather Haddon explains the company’s unraveling and a former CEO talks about his plans to keep the chain alive. Further Listening: - Red Lobster's New CEO Plots Its Comeback - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? Further Reading: - The Epic Mess at TGI Fridays - TGI Fridays Ex-CEO Blanchette to Take Over Chain’s Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The story of how the casual restaurant chain TGI Fridays has shifted in American culture can, in some ways, be told through two movies. First, the 1988 film Cocktail. A young Tom Cruise, at the height of his cool, starred as a college dropout who becomes a bartender.
You know how to make a red eye, mister? What's your name? Brian Flanagan. No, I'm sorry. I haven't had the pleasure as yet.
Tom Cruise's character learns how to mix drinks like a pro, doing flashy tricks as he makes cocktails. And some scenes were filmed at a Friday's, which at the time was considered a gold standard of mixology. The second film came out over a decade later. Hey, guys. Office Space.
What's up, G? Want to go to Chachki's, get some coffee?
Part of the movie takes place in a restaurant that's a lot like TGI Friday's, called Tchotchke's. It sits in a nondescript strip mall and has a big wooden bar and antique Tiffany lampshades. But there's never many customers, and the staff is totally annoying.
So can I get you gentlemen something more to drink or maybe something to nibble on? Some pizza shooters, shrimp poppers, or extreme fajitas? Just coffee. Okay. Sounds like a case of the Mondays.
One of the characters, a server played by Jennifer Aniston, hates working there.
If you want me to wear 37 pieces of flair like your pretty boy over there, Brian, why don't you just make the minimum 37 pieces of flair?
But between these two extremes, TGI Fridays earned a solid place in American culture.
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