Monday, September 17, 2007

TGI Friday's

Thank goodness Friday is only one day of the week. At least they didn't try confusion tactics.

Hello,
I would like to visit your restaurant. Since your website does not provide ingredients lists and you do not give "ingredient statements," can you tell me what menu items are vegan (no animal products)? Thank you for taking the time to determine this, your help is greatly appreciated.
Best,
Erin


Note, TGI Friday's states directly on the website that they do not release ingredient statements. At least this allowed me to tailor my question accordingly, and avoid at least one wasted message-and-response. However, that fact doesn't excuse their neglect. People have the right to know where their food is coming from and of what it consists; considering the events of the last year I find it amazing a corporate chain restaurant would so stubbornly adhere to this stance, and that the consuming public stomachs it.

TGI Friday's reply:
Dear Erin:
As healthy eating continues to diversify, T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants understand that people have different nutritional desires. Our menu offers a wide variety of cravable items which are prepared by our staff using our proprietary recipes. Although we have great procedures in place, any deviation from our recipe would alter nutritional information. Deviation could simply mean the restaurant substituted one of the ingredients from a different or local vendor. Currently, I do not have the recipe or ingredient statements available for many of our menu items, the nutritional information we provide is available on our menu under the "Low Fat" and "Low Carb" section. Listed there you will find specific menu items providing the "Net Carbs" and items which have approximately 10g FAT AND 500 CALORIES. T.G.I. Friday’s guests, like yourself, expect our high standard of great taste, innovation, and value. Watch our menu as we expand our offer! ings even more or visit www.fridays.com
We appreciate your interest in T.G.I. Friday's.
Heather
Guest Relations


The verdict:
Nothing is vegan at TGI Friday's.

12 comments:

joc less than three said...

I hate fridays soo much.
Come on.
Not even one possible vegan option?

ex-partygirl said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

I have eaten angel hair pasta in garlic and olive oil there with mushrooms and peppers on top (not on the menu). When I asked for the list of ingredients in the angel hair pasta it was vegan.

Kimmy Kasl said...

Did that guy even read your email? He really did not answer your question at all. Bummer.

Unknown said...

There is plenty of vegan items at TGI I work there and I am newly vegan.. it just takes a little bit of special instruction and creativity on your part... I Love the santa fe salad. with no chicken,cheese,and i usually get no tortilla strips just cuz i haven't checked the ingredients and then instead of the ranch dressing I put salsa on it! YUMMY!!!Thats just one of them!

Ken Miller said...

Yesterday I was asked to eat at Fridays very much against my will after seeing their menu online. I read this comment list yesterday and tried the Santa Fe salad (without chicken, cheese or ranch dressing). To say it was a disappointment was putting it mildly. I got a bowl of iceberg lettuce with literally 5 black beans, about a tablespoon of corn, some tortilla strips and a little avocado on it. Fortunately my dinner companions took pity on me and gave me tomatoes from their burgers. I would never go to that fucking place again in a million years... every single meal has meat in it. There are so many other better restaurants which consider that not everyone has the same dietary needs. Would it be so fucking hard for them to add a veggie fajita or veggie sandwich using ingredients they ALREADY HAVE in the kitchen? Such arrogant disregard for their customers is infuriating.

Erin said...

I agree Ken! I would guess the commenter, amanda_dancer1, probably got to dress the salad up quite nicely herself as an employee. You probably got served the salad with the ingredients portioned as they would if the held ingredients were there.

It's quite irritating to take a stance against eating animal products yet still have to pay for them - in effect supporting the use of animal products doubly as much as anyone else.

All I can say is, vote with your dollars...

eastercat said...

chichileo, thanks for the suggestion about the angel hair pasta. I just won a $25 gift card from work for Friday's. Looking at their menu, I figured I'd be consuming fries and beer.

Unknown said...

Anyone the least bit concerned with what they're eating should stay away from Friday's on the basis of the customer service shown here (and I speak as someone with a sibling who works there). There are two or three vegan options (if you modify) on the menu. But this attitude--secrecy, failure to answer easy questions, and making people pay more for less food--just shows no effort at customer care.

Besides, I've never seen a TGIFridays that wasn't within walking distance to at least three other chain restaurants. I'll be heading to Olive Garden, Panera and Chili's from now on.

judecath said...

I just ate at Friday's and ordered angel hair pasta with squash, tomatoes, and zucchini sautéed in olive oil. It was very good and there was no fuss about my special order.

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Turkish Cuisine said...

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