This summer, TGI Fridays held its #LongestFriday social media campaign where it offered happy hour specials from open to close on June 23 in conjunction with the summer solstice. Through the campaign and the strategic online content behind it, VP of Digital and E-Commerce Caroline Masullo says the chain’s Facebook and Twitter audience grew by more than 100%. Masullo says these three factors helped make the campaign a success.
Along with posting content on its Facebook page teasing and promoting the event, TGI Fridays made its own Facebook event and encouraged its fans to RSVP online.
To continue to build hype around the event and make sure that its content was getting seen, the chain created and sponsored the hashtag #LongestFriday as a trending topic on Twitter.
TGI Fridays partnered with influencers on Twitter who have amassed a large following online to post engaging content and encourage their follows to participate in the event. Masullo says Fridays also made sure that the influencers it chose fit with the chain’s image. “Partnering with influencers who had a genuine connection to the brand was essential in driving buzz and tapping into audiences
outside of our own social channels,” she says.
Gala Capital Partners won a lawsuit against SSCP Management claiming it was ousted from the pizza-buffet chain shortly after the two companies bought it in 2021. The two companies are run by cousins.
The investment in partnership with Branded Hospitality Ventures is the first step in a plan to build a tech stack that will serve the nearly 20 franchise brands within the portfolio.
The multibrand operator, which also owns Logan’s Roadhouse, said offloading the 60-unit pizza chain will allow it to focus more on its core concepts. The buyer was not disclosed.
The Week in Restaurants: This week’s episode of the restaurant news discussion podcast looks at a potential US Foods-Performance Food Group merger, Red Robin’s value push and Del Taco.