Franchise Deep Dive: TGI Friday’s Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data
The over-50-year-old bar and grill franchise is growing across the U.S. and internationally as it works to refresh its brand image.
LAST UPDATED: June 2023
FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://tgifridays.com/franchise/
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 900+
REPORTED COST TO GET IN: Undisclosed
REPORTED ROI (Item 19): Undisclosed
TGI Friday’s is a bar-and-grill franchise concept that was established in 1965. When Alan Stillman launched the company, it was incredibly successful and one of the only places where young adults could be both relaxed and excited.
TGI Friday’s offers franchises in the U.S. and internationally. Though there are hundreds of units established globally, the brand is taking on a rebrand of sorts, emphasizing its history as a bar. As such, it is seeking franchisees that have prior experience in the restaurant or food business and are interested in opening at least three locations in a relatively short time span.
How Many TGI Friday’s Locations Are There?
There are over 900 TGI Friday’s locations across 50 countries. As it grows and is refreshed, the brand is “embracing and celebrating [its] heritage as a bar. A bar that just happens to serve killer food in an environment that always feels like happy hour on a Friday afternoon.”
While the brand is working to expand, it is focusing on partnering with the right people and bringing ambitious owners into the network to grow in a healthy way.
What Is the TGI Friday’s Business Model?
TGI Friday’s leverages three primary location types: freestanding, mall and inline. While each has its own requirements, the larger strategy works to establish locations in high-traffic areas that are proximal to “evening and late-night generators.” By placing its units close to retail, movie theaters and other restaurant concepts, TGI Friday’s is able to leverage existing demand to grow its own customer base.
The unique requirements of each site type are as follows:
Freestanding
- Two or more acres
- Complete building signage, pylon and monument direction signs
- Excellent ingress and egress from primary frontage road
Mall
- Major regional mall, defined as being one million or more square feet of Gross Leasable Area
- Complete brand signage, interior/exterior directional signage and main pylon listing
- Excellent ingress and egress from primary frontage road
Inline
- Complete frontage signing, directional signs and blade signs as needed
- Convenient access to site from parking, pedestrian and public transportation
How Much Can TGI Friday’s Franchise Owners Make?
TGI Friday’s does not make its financial representations publicly available.
How Much Does It Cost To Open a TGI Friday’s?
TGI Friday’s does not publish investment specifics, but the franchise development site does note that prospective franchisees should have a net worth of at least $3 million with $1 million in liquidity.
For prospective owners looking to re-franchise existing locations, the net worth and liquidity requirements are the same, and the franchisor notes “$500K per store acquired” and “$300K (liquid) per store acquired,” presumably noting the investment range should an owner choose to re-franchise a number of locations that would exceed the $3 million and $1 million (liquid) requirements.
All franchisees are expected to be driven to develop at least three restaurants.
What Is the Franchise Fee for TGI Friday’s?
TGI Friday’s assesses a $50,000 franchise fee per restaurant.
Who Is the Leadership of TGI Friday’s?
- Ray Blanchette — Chief Executive Officer and President
- Samuel Langley — Vice President of Information Technology
- Jennifer Adams — Director of Operations
- Kathleen Schloth — Chief Procurement Officer, Global Supply Chain and Licensing
What Helpful Articles Can I Read To Learn More?
- TGI Fridays SM Franchise Support
- Can defranchising save TGI Fridays?
- TGI Fridays plans major expansion in Asia
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