Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.-based restaurant chain TGI Fridays is rolling out Krispy Rice sushi offerings at more than 140 locations, capitalizing on an increasingly popular foodservice and retail trend across the U.S.
The operator of more than 700 restaurants globally, TGI Fridays’ new deal, stemming from a partnership with Miami, Florida, U.S.A.-based culinary and digital technology integration company C3, which has Krispy Rice as a client, will generate a projected USD 68.5 million (EUR 64.8 million) for the chain.
“At TGI Fridays, we want our guests to have new and exciting flavor experiences every time they visit, and by bringing Krispy Rice … to the menu, we are delivering on that promise,” Brandon Coleman III, the CEO of TGI Fridays, said in a press release. “[This] exciting collaboration introduces the TGI Fridays brand to entirely new audiences and gives new reasons for visitation.”
The chain is featuring 11 different items and bundles of Krispy Rice sushi and plans to expand the offerings to 300 locations, with an eventual target of USD 163 million (EUR 154 million) in run-rate revenue.
Adding Krispy Rice sushi to its menu capitalizes on Americans’ increasing demand for sushi, and TGI Fridays has already seen a spike in sales thanks to the promotion, TGI Fridays Global Senior Director of F&B Innovation David Stadtmiller told SeafoodSource.
“Guests enjoying the Krispy Rice offering not only have a higher return rate at 63 percent, but we’re also seeing the check size increase by roughly USD 10 [EUR 9.43] on average when Krispy Rice items are included,” Stadtmiller said.
Developed by the team behind the Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.-based Katsuya restaurant chain, the Krispy Rice menu highlights Japanese flavors with a Californian twist, the restaurant said. The menu items include original spicy tuna, which is spicy tuna tartare atop a bed of crispy sushi rice; spicy tuna and avocado rolls; chicken gyoza; and vegetarian-friendly options like truffle avocado, which has grilled sushi rice topped with truffle avocado and serrano peppers.
“Our young millennial and Gen Z guests are actively seeking out internationally inspired flavors, and the Krispy Rice menu provides that,” Stadtmiller said. “The menu also provides options for a more health-conscious consumer, with vegetarian-friendly selections that will appeal to a wide variety of our guests.”
Sushi sales continue to grow across U.S. restaurants, and the popular menu item has been featured on 6 percent of American restaurant menus over the past 12 months, a spokesperson for Datassential told SeafoodSource. The food service research firm’s AI-powered prediction tool Menucast projects sushi will be on 8.3 percent of all menus by 2027.
Americans are eating more sushi because of its health profile and their desire to try new and different foods, Stadtmiller explained. “We know many guests are trying to incorporate healthier foods into their diets,” and sushi is largely a healthy food, he noted.
Even though sushi is by no means a new trend, this is TGI Fridays first foray into offering the product.
“Partnering with C3 has enabled us to bring in the necessary tools and to conduct the training needed for our teams to safely prepare quality sushi in a fast and fresh dining experience,” Stadtmiller said.
TGI Fridays customers have always been seafood eaters, Stadtmiller said, noting that its cajun shrimp and chicken pasta is a particular favorite among diners.
“Over time, we’ve certainly seen a desire from guests to have more seafood dishes on the menu, and our recent and upcoming menu updates reflect that,” he said.
Sustainably raised salmon supplied by Miami, Florida, U.S.A.-based Camanchaca is a primary ingredient in the company’s “Grilled & Sauced” menu that launched in June – its biggest menu revamp since the 1990s, the company stated.
To further respond to diners’ calls for seafood, TGI Fridays’ revamped menu with new appetizers, lunch options, and nonalcoholic bar options, which launches on 24 October, features a margarita shrimp cocktail dish using shrimp sourced from Dover, Florida, U.S.A.-based Tampa Bay Fisheries.
“Served with tortilla chips, the flavorful item features chile lime-seasoned shrimp tossed with diced avocado, pico de gallo, diced fresh mango, and a light agave lime juice,” Stadtmiller said.
Photo courtesy of TGI Fridays
