The Seasonal Push
TGI Fridays is running its TGI Elf Days holiday program through January 4, 2027, at participating restaurants globally, layering a seven-item limited-time menu, three branded desserts, and a revamped spend-and-earn loyalty mechanic onto the chain's roughly 400 units across nearly 40 countries. The promotion marks the second year for the Festive Fridays partnership with TBS and builds on what CEO Ray Blanchette called a "huge hit" in its debut run.
"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 at Fridays," Blanchette said.
LTO Menu and Price Points
The new limited-time food lineup skews toward higher check averages. The NY Strip with Lobster Topper leads at $39.99 — a 12-oz. cut topped with American lobster in seasoned lobster butter, plated with four-cheese mac and cheese and crispy Brussels sprouts. The Sizzling Garlic Ginger Steak ($29.99) and Mike's Hot Honey Sriracha Ribs ($31.99, full rack) round out the premium tier. More accessible price points include the Dragon-Fire Chicken ($18.99) with Korean BBQ glaze and mango-pico topping, and Championship BBQ Pork Medallions ($18.99). On the bar side, the Santa Pants cocktail — Pantalones Organic Blanco Tequila, cranberry, lime, and ginger beer — lands at $13.99, joining returning seasonal cocktails like the Ho Ho Hennessy served in a holiday ornament ball.
The TBS dessert trio, branded "All I Watch for Christmas," ranges from $6.99 (Polar Express Golden Ticket Hot Cocoa and Cookie) to $9.50 (The Grinch's Who-Liday Cheesecake). The partnership, now in its second year, ties Fridays to TBS's seasonal movie programming beginning November 13 and runs through the promotion's end.
Loyalty and Frequency Mechanics
The Elf Bucks rewards structure gives Fridays Rewards members a spend-and-earn incentive designed to drive return visits into Q1 2027. Guests spending $25 earn $5 in Elf Bucks; a $50-or-more tab earns $10, with up to two redemptions per table per visit. The offer extends through February 28, 2027, stretching the traffic window well past the holiday period — a tactic increasingly common among full-service chains competing with convenience-store foodservice programs that have accelerated loyalty integration in recent years. Rewards members who visit on designated Festive Fridays earn double points and can unlock an extra $5 via digital coupon on a $50 purchase. A Kids Eat Free every Tuesday offer (with adult entrée purchase) adds a family-dining traffic layer for the program's duration.
For c-store and travel-plaza operators benchmarking against full-service competition, the Elf Bucks cadence — spend threshold, capped reward, defined redemption window — mirrors loyalty structures now standard in convenience retail dispensed-beverage and foodservice programs. The February 28 redemption deadline is a deliberate traffic bridge into what is typically the slowest dining quarter.
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.
