TGI Fridays: 30 years of maximum fun, food & stories that sizzle
Thirty years from that first fateful Friday in Glorietta 3: RC Tiongson on red hair, truffle chips and why the vibe has not aged a day.
She was electrified about starting a new chapter. Thirteen years ago, on her first day at a restaurant in Glorietta 3, she dyed her hair a blazing red — not just to embody the brand’s color, but also its fiery spirit.
Rechelle “RC” Tiongson, currently The Bistro Group chief operating officer (COO), recalls: “I had been working at Italianni’s for 17 years, and I was reassigned to TGI Fridays in October 2011. My first task was to train as a bartender.” Tiongson — who oversees multiple dining concepts for Bistro, including Fridays — points out that she went from a serious and stately restaurant concept to one with a cheery, upbeat outlook. A change in hair color was a show of commitment to the brand core.
That core has remained consistent since TGI Fridays first set up shop in the Philippines 30 years ago. What was happening in the world then? Oasis and Blur were ruling the airwaves with their Britpop tunes; Nas had a landmark hip-hop LP; and Mariah Carey would debut a song destined to be played ever anon in malls as early as the First of September. In a year marked by pieces of game-changing cinema (Pulp Fiction) and television (Friends), another game-changer broke ground in our part of the woods.
It was opening day in Glorietta, and the restaurant was a hit, drawing long queues of patrons willing to wait long stretches just to experience the novelty of American casual dining with its promise of a lively atmosphere, towering drinks, and signature dishes like buffalo wings, mocha mud pie, and glazed ribs in gargantuan portions. (Plus endless swigs of iced tea, of course.) The buzz surrounding the restaurant wasn’t just about the food; it was also about the vibrant energy, red-and-white décor, and the signature flair of bartenders who entertained guests with juggling sorcery.
Flash forward to now. Step into any Fridays branch, and it’s like being right smack in the maelstrom of past and present. Yes, the interiors may not be the same, but they still tell the same story. And that story is centered on 30 branches (lucky no. 30 is in Ayala Malls Manila Bay) and counting, each with its unique traits. Five more are in the offing for 2025.
In the bayside branch, you won’t see the orange bricks and astronaut memorabilia of Friday’s past. “It’s more modern now, but still warm,” stresses Tiongson, adding how the lighting is more sophisticated, and the glass panels provide a certain aesthetic pop. “And yet it’s still unmistakably Friday’s.”
But the real reason why anyone shows up at all in any of these branches is the food.
The menu has seen its fair share of experiments — particularly in the starters. “French fries were already a thing at Friday’s but we thought, why not make truffle chips.” And yet, the classics endure. The Calypso Calamari salad — an OG dish — gets a special nod. “It’s all about that dressing. You won’t find it anywhere else.” The burgers, for me, are a staple. And the drinks, of course, are endearing and have endured, with each an embodiment of a party in a glass.
At the heart of Friday’s longevity is its commitment to people — both customers and staff. “We’re a culture company. We take good care of our people so they take good care of our guests,” she explains. This ethos has cultivated an environment where passion thrives, exemplified by stories like those of the bartenders who won in competitions held in Dallas, Texas: Eric Martinez (2006), Rizza Umlas (2016), and Jholan Peñafiel (2017).
Thirty years is a long time in the restaurant game, and Fridays has seen competitors rise and fall. “The market’s crowded now,” Tiongson admits. “You’ve got all these new players — but the X-factor? It’s execution. You can have all the ideas in the world, but they don’t matter if you don’t execute well.”
Despite challenges (as detailed in recent news reports), Tiongson and the rest of the gang are bullish about the future. “We’re not just surviving; we’re thriving.”
Three things are central to the TGI Fridays DNA. She enumerates, “People, food quality and great service. You can’t have one without the others.” The Bistro executive adds, “Oh, and the vibe. Some restaurants don’t update their interiors — they look old, tired. But we do. We always keep it fresh.”
And fresh it is. Whether it’s a new branch in the provinces or a facelift for an old favorite, Fridays refuses to rest on its laurels. Ultimately, TGI Fridays isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a mood, a memory, a celebration in waiting. It’s the kind of place where you can dye your hair red, flair a bottle, and win a bartending championship — or just sit back with nachos and beer while watching the balling flair of one Luka or Nikola. And once you step inside — whether on a twisted, treacherous Thursday or mad, maniacal Monday — it’s always that day of the week where the sliders, fried mozzarella, and shots of mojito or that icy temptress of a pomegranate margarita await.
Sometimes, you can even feel as though you’re in a sort of time warp: it’s 1994 again, your plate of chicken fingers has just arrived, and Live Forever is blasting from the radio before giving way to Mariah, singing merrily — maniacally merrily.
As part of its anniversary celebration last Dec. 11, TGI Fridays treated guests to a special P30 chicken fingers offering with every purchase of any entrée.
Founded in 1994, The Bistro Group is one of the Philippines’ most progressive restaurant chains that popularized the casual-dining concept with the entry of TGI Fridays in the country 30 years ago. For restaurant concepts and information about The Bistro Group, visit www.bistro.com.ph.
A version of this story first appeared in The Philippine Star, 2024. Print edition.
