Tgi Friday's have popped up all over the country now and there are branches in most large cities. The brand used to stand for good quality American food that was worth paying a little more for. Now the food is more substandard but the prices have dropped to compete with other chain restaurants. The atmosphere remains the same though, the chain is known for its appearance, with red-striped canopies, brass railings, Tiffany lamps and frequent use of antiques as decor.
The best thing about Friday's is that the food is exactly the same whichever store you visit. I like the fact that when I get a craving for some of their special Jack Daniels sauce; I can pop into any TGI's and the menu is exactly the same. My latest visit took me to the Leeds TGI Friday's, it is not the best location for a night out though as it is about a ten minute walk from the city centre. I went there with a couple of friends and it was a Saturday, the place was heaving and everyone was in good spirits.

*Drinks*

We had a drink at the bar before the meal as the table was not ready; not a problem though as we were looking forward to sitting at the bar and enjoying a good cocktail beforehand. The drinks menu was fairly extensive, but we got talking to the bartender who has his own 'drinks bible' in here there is every cocktail you can imagine and all the measurements to boot, needless to say the bartender guarded this book like it was the holy grail! The cocktails we had were fantastic and we did manage to make the bartender flair a few bottles; however he was no Tom Cruise!

*Service*

We were saved by a rather efficient lady who attended to our every need. There were not as many staff working as you would imagine on a Saturday night and all the staff had the appearance of being rushed of their feet. Our waitress always had time for us though and kept the drinks flowing. It appeared that it was everyone's birthday on this Saturday night and we heard the 'Birthday song' about five times! It did get a little tiring after the second or third time, however when it was my friends turn, we hollered in excitement and enjoyed the free chocolate cake; now it was becoming more obvious why it was everyone's birthday. Free cake! To book your celebratory serenading; simply tell the door host on the way in and she will arrange it for you.

*Food*

Food was delcious; the sides were not very hot but the ribs were out of this world. Smothered in delicious JD sauce and meat so soft it falls off the rib like butter. The other meals we had were a wicked Chicken; another signature TGI dish that was very delicious and the cajun cream sauce was very tasty. We shared the Jack Daniels Timeshare to start with; filled with potato skins, chicken wings and mozzerella planks. This went down a treat; even if the potato skins were a little greasy and had hardly any cheese in.
We did not have to wait for our food and despite the fact that it was not piping hot, it was very delicious and it was very filling.

*Children*

The restaurant is child friendly but as it was busy Saturday night there was not as many children present as usual. There was the odd child dotted around, but these were kept amused with the coloring packs they are provided with and their balloon. TGI's is a great place for Children as the kids menu is great and they have great high chairs that allow the kids to be sat at the dinner table so they are included in the group rather than in some grotty old high chair with a built in table. There is plenty of clutter on the walls for the kids to look at, such as chopper bikes and old video game characters.

*Price*

The bill was quite a lot and it worked out about £35.00 per person, we were drinking cocktails though and that included a decent tip. There is a two course menu that is reasonably priced and there are a large number of dishes on here, so if you want a cheaper meal then this would be a great option. If you are drinking soft drinks the sodas come on free refill so this makes it cheaper if you a coke guzzler.

*Overall*

It was a great atmosphere where guests and staff seemed to be having a good time. There was plenty of choice to eat and the food was tasty. We left the restaurant feeling satisfied and well looked after and will definitely return. TGI's is a great place to start your night out from; it is fun and lively and gets you in the mood for some dancing!