The Program

TGI Fridays is running its TGI Elf Days holiday takeover through January 4, 2027, at participating restaurants across nearly 400 units in roughly 40 countries. The campaign, now in its second year, pairs an elevated limited-time menu with immersive in-restaurant theming and a continued media partnership with TBS — a structure that reflects the casual-dining segment's broader push to manufacture traffic through experiential programming rather than discounting alone.

The Menu

On the food side, the LTO lineup skews toward higher check averages, with four new entrées anchored by a 12 oz. NY Strip with Lobster Topper at $39.99 and Mike's Hot Honey Sriracha Ribs (full rack) at $31.99. A Sizzling Garlic Ginger Steak comes in at $29.99, and a Dragon-Fire Chicken with Korean BBQ glaze is priced at $18.99 — all sitting above typical casual-dining weeknight averages and signaling a deliberate trade-up play. Starters featuring the Mike's Hot Honey Sriracha co-brand add incremental attachment opportunities. On the beverage side, the new Santa Pants cocktail at $13.99 — built on Pantalones Organic Blanco Tequila — joins returning seasonal builds served in collectible glassware, including a Santa Mason Jar available for $7, a format that generates ancillary revenue and social-media lift.

The TBS tie-in, now in year two, adds three desserts inspired by holiday films airing on the network: The Grinch's Who-Liday Cheesecake at $9.50, a Polar Express Golden Ticket Hot Cocoa and Cookie at $6.99, and a returning Fridays Brownie Obsession variant. Media-branded LTOs are becoming a more common traffic lever in full-service dining, allowing chains to borrow cultural relevance from programming audiences already tuned in during the holiday season.

Loyalty and Franchisee Lens

The Elf Bucks rewards mechanic — $5 back on a $25 spend, $10 back on $50 or more — runs through February 28, 2027, extending the program's tail well into Q1 and giving franchisees a tool to defend January traffic, historically the weakest month for casual dining. Fridays Rewards members can unlock an additional $5 via digital coupon on a $50-plus purchase, deepening the app engagement layer. A Kids Eat Free every Tuesday offer (with adult entrée purchase) through the duration of the program is a family daypart lever designed to broaden the guest occasion mix beyond the bar-and-grill core.

CEO Ray Blanchette framed the expansion as a deliberate step up from last year's debut: "This year, we're turning up the celebration with over-the-top décor and experiences, premium entrées inspired by Fridays Favorites from around the globe, craveable holiday desserts, and festive cocktails, all designed to make the season even more memorable." The chain operates on a franchise-first model with global hubs in Dallas, Dubai, and London, meaning execution consistency across markets will be a key variable in whether the program drives measurable comp-sales movement. For operators in the casual-dining segment watching LTO strategy and menu pricing, Fridays' holiday build — high-ticket entrées, co-branded desserts, media partnerships, and a loyalty rewards kicker — represents one template for competing against fast-casual alternatives during the year's highest-volume gifting and gathering season.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.