TGI Fridays Signs First U.S. Development Deal in Over a Decade, Partnering with Bliss Bites to Open Five New New York Locations

TGI Fridays announced a development agreement with Bliss Bites LLC to open five new restaurants across New York State and to transfer ownership of an existing Fridays in Central Islip to the new franchisee. With that transfer, Bliss Bites' New York portfolio totals six restaurants.

This is Fridays' first U.S. development agreement in more than a decade. The company frames the deal as an early, tangible example of its "1-2-3 Strategic Vision," a roadmap aiming for more than 1,000 units and $2 billion in annual revenue by 2030. The strategy rests on four specific pillars: activating the brand, pursuing flexible growth across markets, strengthening the franchise system, and delivering performance through people.

Bliss Bites LLC is led by Vinod Chand, who the release says has more than 35 years of hospitality industry experience. Chand described the brand's culture, flavors and corporate support as reasons for investing. Fridays' leadership highlighted the importance of finding "the right partners" to execute its growth plan.

TGI Fridays (founded in 1965) positions itself as a brand that blends Americana hospitality, cocktails and classic menu items while offering multiple formats: full-service dining and "bold-format" convenience. The company currently operates nearly 400 restaurants in almost 40 countries and supports franchisees through global hubs in Dallas, Dubai and London, along with regional resources in select markets.

The "1-2-3 Strategic Vision" is the frame used to explain how this agreement fits into broader growth goals. The vision pairs Fridays' brand heritage with disciplined, franchisee-led expansion and emphasizes the company's intent to grow through partnerships rather than wholly corporate expansion.

What the announcement does not include

The release does not provide construction budgets, projected unit economics, rent or lease details, exact opening timelines or the specific New York markets targeted beyond the state-level commitment. It also does not disclose terms of the Central Islip transfer or financial arrangements between parties.

Look for site announcements, lease filings or local permitting records to learn specific locations and projected opening dates. Franchise recruitment materials or corporate filings could reveal more about development incentives, unit-level economics and how Fridays plans to scale support resources as domestic franchising resumes.

This agreement restarts Fridays' U.S. development pipeline after a long pause, uses a local franchise operator with deep hospitality experience, and is presented as an early execution of a larger nationwide growth plan aimed at significant scale by 2030.