How The Bistro Group ReWrote The Rules Of Philippine Dining

It's been a long time since we've rocked and rolled with The Bistro Group restaurants—30 years and counting—so long, in fact, that we hardly recall the mildly dark ages before the first TGI Fridays outlet was set up in 1994.

- IGAN D'BAYAN

It's been a long time since we've rocked and rolled with The Bistro Group restaurants—30 years and counting—so long, in fact, that we hardly recall the mildly dark ages before the first TGI Fridays outlet was set up in 1994. It was a vastly different dining landscape then. Usually, whenever dining out, my friends and family would find ourselves sequestered in Severance-style booths and would partake of slapdash items and a blur of shaky mocks. The food, dear readers, was but a mere approximation of the pictures on the menu, prepared by a kitchen of shadows.

The first Fridays in Glorietta (with its neon-lit, burger-slinging bravado) changed the game. William Stelton, chairman and CEO of The Bistro Group, was immediately struck by the energy and atmosphere of TGI Fridays during his first visit to a store in the US. It was a full-sensory experience—electric energy, an undeniable buzz, the pulse of a restaurant that wasn't just serving food but crafting moments. It was then and there that Stelton decided: this had to come to the Philippines. And so, it did—boldly, brashly, unapologetically. That first store was more than a restaurant; it was a statement. Refillable iced tea? Unheard of. Burgers that dwarfed the local competition? A revelation. It wasn't just about food—it was about an experience, a sense of occasion. At the time, it was the largest TGI Fridays in the world, and the response was overwhelming.

"We had hundreds of people queueing when we launched it. The market's enthusiastic acceptance of the brand was amazing!"

What began as an ambitious move became a defining moment for the local dining scene.