I knew two things about TGI Fridays before my visit: firstly, they serenade you with ‘happy birthday’ if it’s your special day and, secondly, I’d never been in one. I’ve tried to work out why this is and it boils down to my lack of enthusiasm for chain restaurants.
The food tends to be mediocre and overpriced. There are exceptions, but these American imports have never been high on my list. However, this week brought news that the chain has entered administration, putting 75 UK branches at risk. So, it might be now or never.
When I checked online to see if they were still open (they are, all stores are operating as usual) and what I might be eating, I found a well-designed website brimming with offers. Some are fairly standard, like ‘kids eat free’, which is convenient since my dining companions were both under five, but there were just so many. It seemed like a desperate attempt by a struggling business to attract customers and didn’t exactly inspire confidence in the quality of the food.
On Mondays, you can indulge in unlimited sesame chicken strips for 90 minutes for £15. Tuesdays offer a full rack of ribs for the price of a half, while Wednesdays let you feast on endless chicken wings for the same price. Thursdays tempt with a “burger and a bevvy” deal, and on my visit on a Friday it was all about the unlimited sesame chicken again.
But wait, there are more: you can snag £25 off when you spend £100, kids can eat free, there’s a two-course lunch menu for £7, drinks specials, 2-for-1 cocktails, and even two cocktails for a tenner.
And if you download their app, the perks keep piling up: adults can get a free cocktail for an £8 spend, a complimentary dessert greets you on your first visit and can get two birthday treats a year.
So, me and the kids popped into the Cardiff St David’s shopping centre branch on a Friday to put these deals to the test. The one thing I’ve always associated with TGI’s is their penchant for birthday bashes, and the app didn’t disappoint, offering the option to give them the heads-up about any celebrations, which I did (I also discovered they have two apps — one for bookings and another for rewards).
In the restaurant, the menu’s huge and looks like familiar freezer fare, the kind that’s stacked in your local frozen aisle then slapped into an industrial oven and served up by a waiter who’s probably worried about his job security. Expect to see mozzarella sticks, chicken strips, calamari and American specials such as corn dogs.
You’re looking at around £8 to £10 to kick off with starters. Then you hit the mains, ‘true’ Americana on a plate: steaks, burgers, chicken dishes, surf and turf, pasta and salads. For veggies and vegans, there’s a heap of choice, including plant-based cheese and meat-free numbers.
Maybe it was the little ones tagging along that did it to me, but with so much going on, I felt swamped with choice and ended up copping out, just choosing the second burger on the list. Burgers come in at about £18 with a side of chips; chicken or meat substitute options float around £22; and if you fancy something with a bit of a kick, the cajun chicken pasta will cost you £20. Then there’s the ‘ultimate barbecue platter, costing an eye-watering £39.95.
The children’s menu at £7.80 offers classic dishes like fish fingers or a crispy chicken burger, and all main courses come with two sides. According to the menu, all meals also include apple, cucumber and carrot sticks, although we weren’t offered these during our visit.
The menu is impressively diverse, catering for gluten-free and vegetarian diets, making it one of the most comprehensive kids’ menus I’ve ever seen, albeit at the higher end of what I’d expect to pay for a main course.
I knew the highlight would be the ‘make your own sundae’ option, where children can choose ice cream or yoghurt, a sauce, and up to three toppings. Other options included a fruit sundae or an iced lolly. We were also given kids’ packs that offered the best variety I think we’ve ever had.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Fridays is undoubtedly distressing for its employees. Nobody wants widespread job losses or more vacant units on our high streets, but the fact that I’m probably one of thousands who has walked or driven past without considering going in perhaps explains where the business model has faltered.
The grub was just as I predicted: mass-produced, passable fare slapped with a hefty price and tags like “legendary” or “famous”. What bugs me about these chain joints is that they dish out food that should be simple to nail, yet it often misses the mark. Whipping up a decent burger should be child’s play for any chef.
My experience at TGI Friday’s was a mixed bag. The burger (£19.95) wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring nor was it completely disappointing, but its taste was somewhat saved by one of those “legendary” glazes combining with the burger sauce to add an extra zing. The burger could have been perfected with crunchier bacon and bolder flavours within the patty itself.
In recent years, some chains have managed to strike a balance between quality and speed, such as Franco Manca and Honest, churning out delightful quick bites at more customer-friendly prices — compare Honest’s £9 simple burger or their £11.50 fancier version to the one I had which was £8.45 dearer.
Despite that, it was a fun visit for the little ones. The atmosphere was lively and buzzing; bright, loud and sparkling clean. Even amidst what must be challenging times, the staff were upbeat and positive.
But the restaurant seemed trapped between luring patrons through countless deals and dishing out a hit of ’90s nostalgia — when was the last time you saw cocktails named “orgasm” or “B52”? And it’s quite the pricey walk down memory lane.
The menu brought those scenes from Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares vividly to mind, with venues desperately trying to serve all-comers and consequently mastering none.
My visit was predictably mediocre; the food was alright, nothing horrendous but equally nothing to rave about. It’s a family-friendly place offering a respite on a Friday afternoon. Even with a kids’ meal free with the purchase of an adult’s and two children’s mains plus desserts, the bill came to £49, slightly less than anticipated. But to snag the deals such as “kids eat free”, you’re required to download the app, a step that’s typically not asked for elsewhere.
We did miss out on a few advertised features. There was no birthday song for my youngest who was celebrating that day, and the kids’ menu didn’t have the advertised extras.
Would I visit again? Perhaps on a rainy Sunday if I needed something to do. But there are other places, even other chains, that would be higher on my list.
