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

# What happened TGI Fridays announced a U.S. development agreement with Bliss Bites LLC to open five new Fridays restaurants across New York State and operate an existing Fridays in Central Islip. This is Fridays' first domestic development deal in more than a decade and is presented as a concrete step in its broader growth plan.

# Why it matters The deal signals a renewed push to grow the chain's U.S. footprint after a long pause on domestic development agreements. TGI Fridays positions the agreement as part of its "1-2-3 Strategic Vision," a plan that targets more than 1,000 units and $2 billion in annual revenue by 2030. The company describes four strategic pillars behind the plan: activating the brand, pursuing flexible growth across markets, strengthening the franchise system, and delivering performance through people.

# Who the partner is Bliss Bites LLC is led by Vinod Chand, a hospitality operator with over 35 years of industry experience. The agreement includes development of five new restaurants over three years and acquisition of the existing Central Islip franchise location, bringing Bliss Bites' New York portfolio to six restaurants.

# What the companies say Ashley Kirkley, TGI Fridays' chief operating officer, framed the agreement as the type of partnership the brand seeks under its strategic vision: "Growth only matters when it's built with the right partners, and this five-restaurant development agreement is exactly what we envisioned for our '1-2-3 Strategic Vision.'"

Vinod Chand described his decision to partner with Fridays as driven by the brand's culture and corporate support: "TGI Fridays is an iconic, one-of-a-kind brand backed by an incredible team that celebrates its guests and takes real pride in Americana hospitality. Between our restaurant in Central Islip and the new locations we're planning across New York, we're building on a brand I already believe in, backed by the kind of corporate support that makes long-term growth possible. This is just the beginning."

# What to expect next Bliss Bites will develop five new restaurants over a three-year period. The announcement does not list specific sites or opening dates beyond the Central Islip existing location now operating under Bliss Bites' ownership. Fridays presents this agreement as an early, tangible example of its domestic franchise-led expansion strategy.

# Context about the brand TGI Fridays opened its first restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side in 1965. The company currently operates nearly 400 restaurants in almost 40 countries and promotes a franchise-first approach with global and regional support hubs. The brand is positioning itself to meet consumer demand for casual dining that balances value and experience.

# What this means for operators and local markets For franchise operators: the deal illustrates Fridays' willingness to resume domestic franchise development and to partner with experienced, multi-unit operators. For local markets in New York: this agreement will add Fridays' casual-dining concept to areas where the company believes the brand fits.

# Bottom line The Bliss Bites agreement is the first U.S. development deal TGI Fridays has executed in over a decade and functions as an early move under its stated 1-2-3 Strategic Vision to scale the brand domestically through franchise partnerships and disciplined growth.