Uber + TGI Fridays: driving casual dining forward

TGI Fridays, a restaurant chain with more than 870 locations across 60 countries, is always working to improve its customer experience. In 2016, the restaurant adopted Uber Eats, which gave customers the option to order online and enjoy their favorite food from home. After fulfilling the demand for delivery, TGI Fridays wanted to explore new ways to accommodate customers dining in their restaurants, so they turned to Uber for Business for help.

To stay relevant, raise profits, and maintain high customer satisfaction, casual dining restaurants have to cater to a variety of customers.

“One of the things TGI Fridays prides itself on is our ability to customize our offerings and promotions based on our guests’ unique needs and dining preferences,” says Sherif Mityas, Chief Experience Officer at TGI Fridays.

In addition to embracing online orders, TGI Fridays wants to drive foot traffic. But getting customers to visit a restaurant in the golden age of food delivery can be challenging.

TGI Fridays knew dining out needed to be just as convenient and enticing an option as ordering takeout, so the company decided to give customers an easier way to visit their restaurants.

“We are excited to be able to offer select guests rides to or from our restaurants though Uber Vouchers,” says Mityas. “We want guests to come into our restaurants, relax, and stay a while.”

TGI Fridays is bridging the gap between online orders and dining out. The restaurant is using ride vouchers to announce promotions and increase foot traffic during certain times of the day, like happy hour.

Vouchers give guests a reason to come in and take advantage of deals on drinks and appetizers, while also eliminating one of the hassles of dining out. Customers don’t have to worry about coordinating rides to the restaurant or figuring out how to get home after dinner—they can just enjoy an evening out with no stress. Plus, guests get the opportunity to experience TGI Fridays’ customer service in person.

“As we look at ways that Uber Vouchers can be leveraged, it’s clear there is a great opportunity to reinforce the personal connection between our team members and our guests,” says Mityas. “For example, our bartenders may have a set of Uber Vouchers available for happy-hour customers who need a safer ride home. It’s actions like these that really set our service and experience apart.”

TGI Fridays uses vouchers in a variety of ways to serve their business. Depending on their goals, they might use vouchers to boost promotions, draw measurable traffic to key locations, or gain insight into their customers’ dining habits and preferences.

The future of casual dining is flexibility. “TGI Fridays delivers great experiences for our guests both inside and outside our physical locations around the globe,” says Mityas.

TGI Fridays has been able to attract more customers, engage with guests face-to-face, and establish themselves as a dining destination.

“Now, by taking care of our customers’ transportation to or from our restaurants,” adds Mityas, “we are able to make dining out more convenient, so they can experience the atmosphere and our team members that make our restaurants so unique.”

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