TGIF – a place to forget traffic jams
When Cargills got in touch with Thank God Its Friday (TGIF) in May last year, it didn’t expect to strike a partnership with this global chain so quickly and open a restaurant by this year.
“In May 2012 we recognised that the Sri Lankan market was growing. Then things such as CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting) were also planned at the time. We realised the upside potential and the business sense to starting a restaurant,” Donald Mc Queen, International Managing Director Asia – Pacific for TGIF says, settling down to a long discussion with the Business Times at their spanking new restaurant adjoining the Dutch Hospital shopping precinct in Fort.
This is TGIF’s country No: 60, he says, adding that Cargills had made their entry a smooth one. Cargills is the exclusive franchisee of the firm here in Sri Lanka.
He says that it’s not only food that they’re dishing out – it’s also an escape. “It’ll be a place to forget traffic jams, humidity outside – in fact all your problems,” he says. The restaurant opened yesterday.
Cargills has invested Rs. 300 million in buying the building and refurbishing it. It was a trading house which Cargills has restored maintaining its old Dutch architecture.
Mr. McQueen says that TGIF and Cargills will expand into five more restaurants in the Colombo suburbs, Negombo, Mt. Lavinia, Galle and Kurunegala over the next five years.
Currently TGIF has 58 staff and is a 191–seater restaurant.
Supported by encouraging macro trends, the Sri Lankan food retail market is growing, mainly driven by the improving retail infrastructure and an expanding, increasingly selective consumer base looking for convenience. Analysts say that with TGIF Cargills will be able to tap a whole new segment of those eating out.
TGI Friday is a member of the US based Carlson Group. The Carlson Group operates over 900 TGI Friday’s restaurants around the world in over 60 countries. Carlson is a global hospitality company with presence in 150 countries, operating over 1,300 hotels including Radisson Blu, Radisson, Park Plaza etc.
Cargills Group also represents the other world famous restaurant chain KFC in Sri Lanka.
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