T.G.I. Friday's restaurant chain was one of the first American casual dining chains and provides a dining experience that has become the favorite pastime of millions since 1965.  The first T.G.I. Friday's restaurant was located at First Avenue and 63rd Street in New York City, New York (USA) and featured red and white stripes, a blue exterior and its name -- T.G.I. Friday's.  Inside were wooden floors, Tiffany lamps, bentwood chairs and striped tablecloths.  The bar area, with its brass rails and stained glass, contributed to the ambiance.  For T.G.I. Friday's interior decor, a full time antique “picker” traveled extensively to auctions and flea markets.  Memorabilia had to be authentic and, if possible, unique to the area where the new restaurant would be located.  In a warehouse in the Southeastern United States, this “clutter” was restored before being loaded on a truck bound for the next T.G.I. Friday's restaurant opening. 

 The New York City T.G.I. Friday's restaurant enjoyed an immediate and spectacular success.  First year revenues totaled $1 million.  This restaurant became THE meeting place for single adults.  In fact, according to Newsweek and The Saturday Evening Post, the opening of T.G.I. Friday's heralded the dawn of the singles age. 

 By 1972, the restaurant as we know it today was taking everyone by storm.   By 1975, there were ten T.G.I. Friday's restaurants in eight states across America, and in 1986 the first international Friday's® opened in Birmingham, England

 As the guests have changed, so has Friday's.  The company has grown and the guests have matured.  Now many of them bring their children with them when they dine at T.G.I Friday's and, T.G.I. Friday's still offers an unsurpassed menu selection of food prepared to perfection, served in a lively, engaging atmosphere.

 T.G.I. Friday's is a leader in the industry in innovation with menu items such as Friday's Jack Daniel's Grill. In response to the growing demand for flavorful non-alcoholic beverages, T.G.I. Friday's introduced Smoothies and Flings in honor of the 1984 Summer Olympics.  The popularity of these drinks continues even today. 

 The credo of T.G.I. Friday's is to treat every customer as we would an honored guest in our home, and it is reflected in everything the company does.  This commitment to superior guest satisfaction is exemplified by the 80 million guest visits per year.  The overwhelming success of the restaurants comes from a very broad guest base. 

  Realizing that an important part of a restaurant's appeal is its atmosphere, T.G.I. Friday's created a comfortable, relaxing environment in which their guests can enjoy quality food served by friendly waiters and waitresses, and beverages served by bottle-flipping, entertaining bartenders.  Decor, music, lights, air conditioning, and housekeeping are all carefully designed to please the guests. 

 Industry leadership, innovation and standards of excellence continue to be T.G.I. Friday's hallmarks.  “We are proud of our history in the industry and look forward to the excitement and challenge of the future”.  In July of 2003, Carlson Restaurants celebrated the opening of their 200th international T.G.I. Friday's restaurant, and in 2005 T.G.I. Friday's will celebrated its 40th anniversary becoming the first casual dining chain to reach that milestone.  T.G.I. Friday's now has 726 stores in 56 countries. 

 In summary, T.G.I. Friday's restaurants have a dynamic combination that is propelling them into a new era of superior performance.  They are truly a legend in the restaurant industry, providing a unique, eclectic environment where the entire family can enjoy their food, drink and the atmosphere in 56 countries around the world. 

PRESTIGE HOLDINGS LTD (Licensed Franchisee for the Caribbean)

 Prestige Holdings Ltd. is the licensed Franchisee for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide with the developing rights for TGI FRIDAY'S in the Caribbean and operates the restaurants in Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.

The first restaurant open in the Caribbean was the one in Port of Spain, Trinidad in December 19th, 1999. That restaurant was the first casual dining concept on the island and that set the standards of Great Food, Great drinks, and fun atmosphere in Trinidad. 

 On December 2001 TGI Friday's opened in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on the third floor of the modern Acropolis Plaza with a combined Restaurant/Bar design that quickly became "the place to be" in the city. 

 On October 2002 a second restaurant in Trinidad was open in Price Plaza, Chaguanas. The restaurant included new elements of the New Image of Fridays such as Stainless Steel pieces, New Bar layout and ceiling.

On december 2003 Prestige Holdings signed an agreement with the Franchisee in Puerto Rico to operate the existing restaurant an develop new restaurants on the island. For 2004 the opening of a new restaurant in Kingston, Jamaica is scheduled,  and a third restaurant in Trinidad in the southern Town of San Fernando is also in the design process.