Surprising: American diner chain ‘disappears’ from Budapest but with a trick
A popular American fast-food restaurant chain, TGI Friday’s, disappeared from the Hungarian capital yesterday night, but only because it changed name.
American fast-food chain changes name in Hungary
According to Világgazdaság, TGI Friday’s changed its name after 25 years yesterday evening. They will leave the trademark name behind and run under Ribster American Bar & Grill. You may visit their diners at Oktogon and the Westend Mall. The distance between them is only hundreds of meters. Nevertheless, you may submit your order online via Wolt or Foodora.
Thankfully, nothing changes except for the design and the name: the team remains the same. Thus, you will get your traditional American dishes and cocktails in the diners.
The reason behind the name change was that the Hungarian subcontractors running the two diners did not prolong their franchise contract with the American owners. The good news is that all popular dishes will remain on the menu, but there will be some new additions thanks to the team’s creativity.
American tastes and way of life in a restaurant
The operators wrote they would not close because of the brand change.
Comment writers below the post of the Hungarian diner owners say the number of TGI Friday’s restaurants is decreasing in Florida.
Világgazdaság wrote they had no information on whether the American chain plans to open a new restaurant in the Hungarian capital. They opened their first restaurant in the Westend Mall in 1999. It has remained one of the most popular eateries in the shopping centre, attracting Hungarians and tourists who search for the American tastes and way of life.
Világgazdaság wrote that fast-food chains and cafés must introduce significant price reductions to retain customers. That is because of the record-high Hungarian inflation which made food prices skyrocket.
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A nice article, but no American would consider TGI Friday’s to be a “fast food restaurant”. It is a sit down restaurant, with over priced food, and it doubles as a watering hole for downing a beer with your overpriced hamburger. Regardless of whether you like the chain or not, the term “fast food”, means that you can get your food fast.. it is the goal the major fast-food chains, McDonalds, Burger King, KFC. TGI is a completely different experience. I am not saying that TGI is a bad experience, but it is certainly not a “fast food” experience.