| Industry | Location |
|---|---|
| Food & Beverage / Hospitality / Retail Real Estate | India (North India franchise rights) |
A brand as iconic as TGI Fridays doesn’t need an introduction, but a franchise operator stepping into a market this size absolutely needs the right introduction. Feastary Hospitality had just secured the master rights to bring TGI Fridays into North India, and the story deserved to travel far beyond a routine expansion update. MediagraphixPR built the campaign that made sure it did.
TGI Fridays: What They Actually Bring to the Table
Casual dining brands rarely manage to stay iconic for decades, but TGI Fridays has built its name on exactly that, loud energy, bold American flavours and a hospitality-first attitude that customers keep coming back for. Through its partnership with Universal Success Restaurants and Feastary Hospitality, the brand is now on an aggressive growth run across South and Southeast Asia, with over 50 new stores planned in India alone by 2030. The plan isn’t just about opening more outlets, it’s about redefining what premium dining looks like across India’s metros and Tier 1 cities, backed by fresh formats, curated menus and an experience-led approach to food.
The Challenge
Universal Success Restaurants had just announced one of the biggest expansion plans in the region’s casual dining history, 75 new TGI Fridays outlets across South and Southeast Asia, with more than 50 of those earmarked for India. That kind of scale needed media relations work that could hold up across three very different reader bases at once, not a single press release written for just one industry. The brief in front of us was straightforward but far from easy:
- Turn the expansion announcement into a genuine industry milestone, not just another retail news blip
- Position Feastary Hospitality as the regional leader driving this growth in North India
- Build strong visibility across three ecosystems at once, F&B, hospitality, and commercial real estate, since this deal touched all three
How MediagraphixPR Made It Happen
We built a purpose-led PR strategy that looked past the immediate announcement and focused on Feastary’s long-term positioning in India’s hospitality space.
- Feastary was placed front and centre. We positioned the company as the premium franchise operator behind TGI Fridays’ global expansion into India, not just a partner mentioned in passing.
- Messaging was aligned to the right audience. The story was shaped specifically for top-tier hospitality and real estate publications, the readers who actually influence how these deals get perceived in the market.
- The results spoke for themselves. The announcement secured 13+ high-impact media placements across outlets including Hindustan Times (print and online), The Economic Times, Indian Retailer, BW Hotelier and Hospitality Biz, generating over 600 million impressions and firmly establishing Feastary’s role in shaping India’s next-generation hospitality landscape.
The Press Release
Bistro Hospitality to Open 75 TGI Fridays in South Asia & Southeast Asia by 2030, Partners with Feastary Hospitality for North India
[UNDER EMBARGO] Delhi, 24th September 2024– Bistro Hospitality the sub-vertical of the real estate Conglomerate Universal Success Enterprises Limited (USEL) is thrilled to announce its global expansion strategy with the signing of a Master Franchisee agreement to establish 75 new TGI Fridays restaurants across South Asia and Southeast Asia by 2030. The preferred locations of these outlets would be CBDs and leading hotels in the metros. With this initiative, Bistro Hospitality aims to bring back the iconic TGI Fridays experience to a wider regional audience. The goal of this expansion is to establish TGI Friday’s footprint in the South Asia and South East Asia Region in the targeted regions. This deal is the most significant development agreement to date for the brand and is expected to drive over $500MM in revenue for the U.S.-based company.
Bistro Hospitality is targeting key cities and regions in South Asia and Southeast Asia, which includes India (45 stores), Bangladesh (4 stores), Nepal (2 stores), Sri Lanka (2 stores), Indonesia (6 stores), Singapore (6 stores), Vietnam (4 stores) & Thailand (6 stores). In India, the company has formed a partnership with Feastary Hospitality Hospitality, for Master rights for North India. With this partnership, the company will expand across Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, J&K, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh & Himachal Pradesh cities of North India with over 15 franchises across these regions. The company plans to differentiate itself by promoting authentic American Bar & Grill dining experience and cuisine to the customers while setting these TGI Fridays outlets as unique experiences suited to Indian needs.
Suman Dutta, CEO & Additional Director of Bistro Hospitality commented on the partnership “We’re excited about expanding TGI Fridays across South Asia and Southeast Asia. TGI Fridays’ has for the first time signed for such a large territory, wherein 20% of the outlets USE has to develop themselves while the balance can be with third parties Our goal is to shake things up in these markets by creating a dining experience that’s both familiar and new—a place where people can come together and enjoy great food and a lively atmosphere. Our partnership with Feastary Hospitality is a big step in bringing this vision to North India. We’re not just opening restaurants; we’re creating destinations that blend the best of TGI Fridays with local flavors and vibes that resonate with Indian guests. Looking forward, we’re open to exploring other partnerships in India to ensure that TGI Fridays can offer a meaningful experience in various regions.”
Adding on to this Suraj Mahant (Director) of Feastary Hospitality Hospitality stated “We’re excited to work with Bistro Hospitality as they expand TGI Fridays into North India. With Bistro securing the master rights for this region, we’re confident that this partnership will bring TGI Fridays’ well-loved dining experience to more people in North India. We believe this collaboration will blend our global standards with local tastes in a way that resonates with the community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this expansion will have.”
To manage the supply chain and logistics for this large-scale expansion in India, the brand has partnered with renowned supply chain and logistics providers in the industry. Their extensive presence across India will help streamline the supply of raw materials and support the efficient operation of these new locations. Bistro Hospitality’s long-term goals for the TGI Fridays brand in South Asia and Southeast Asia include bringing the iconic American flavors and taste experience to Asia. The company has two modules of outlets, one of 2000 sq ft and another of 3000/4000 sq. ft., unlike very large format outlets like 8000 to ensure and promote sustainability and ethical practices. The brand sees potential in Tier 2 cities and would be actively scouting for locations in the future.
About TGI Fridays & Feastary Hospitality
TGI Fridays has been in the casual dining business since 1965, and six decades later it’s still one of the most recognised names in the segment, present in over 60 countries and still known for the same welcoming ambiance and American cuisine that built the brand in the first place. Its next chapter in Asia runs through Universal Success Restaurants and Feastary Hospitality, with Feastary holding the exclusive rights across North India, a footprint that stretches well beyond one city into a whole belt of the country most brands underestimate until someone actually builds the network properly. When a franchise story spans that much of India at once, the media strategy behind it has to work just as hard across every one of those regions. Feastary has built its reputation on turning global F&B concepts into formats that actually work for Indian audiences, and that expertise, backed by consumer insight and operational discipline, is exactly what’s driving this next phase of growth.
Our Numbers
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Total audience reach of the press release | 600+ Million |
| Number of publications | 13+ |
| Top publications | Hindustan Times, Economic Times, BW Hotelier, Indian Retailer |