T.G.I. Friday's remodels for young American style

November 12, 2004

T.G.I. Friday's has been sharing its American-style fare and fun with Taiwan since 1991 when it opened its first outlet on Dunhua North Road in Taipei. With this opening, the US franchise quickly became "the place to go" for certain locals in search of such exotic American cuisine as hamburgers and buffalo wings. Now, having opened another ten restaurants in the meantime, the chain wants to spice things up a bit by remodeling its Taiwanese eateries in a youthful, American style.

In line with the bright and modern design plans of the international restaurant franchise's American headquarters, the new interior design also aims to emphasize the franchise's role as a restaurant rather than a drinking establishment. With a big NTD 50 million investment, the T.G.I Friday's in Taipei's Hsimenting has become the first new-style T.G.I. Friday's in Asia.

The next Taiwan T.G.I Friday's restaurants to show off this new design will be two brand new restaurants. The Meilihua district of Taipei suburb Yungho will get a T.G.I Friday's in November, while Taichung will get its second T.G.I. Friday's next year.

The American headquarters of T.G.I. Friday's took over management of the franchise's ten outlets here in Taiwan in September 2003. An 18% growth in revenues over the last year demonstrates that T.G.I. Friday's still knows how to appeal to Taiwanese tastes. Chairperson of the board of T.G.I. Friday's in Taiwan Jeff Warne says that the chain's confidence in the Taiwanese market is strong and that it will open an additional ten restaurants here over the next three years.

Many foreign businesses, from automakers to banks to restaurants, have adopted the strategy of first setting up operations in Taiwan's more developed and hospitable market and then using the experience gained here to expand into China. T.G.I. Friday's operates only five restaurants in China, three in Beijing and two in Shanghai, at the moment. However, with plans to open one hundred new Friday's eateries for China's increasingly affluent and worldly masses in the coming ten years, T.G.I. Friday's will surely be able to make use of its Taiwan experience as it expands into China.

(United Daily News)

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