TGI Fridays Gets Into the Food Truck Game It's not unheard of for food trucks to move to brick-and-mortar locations. Chains becoming food trucks, however, is a more unique proposition.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

TGI Fridays is ready to get hip.

The chain that began as a handful of bars for single people in the 1970s turned family-friendly mega-chain in the late 80s is working hard to bring young people back through the doors. TGI Fridays' solution: the millennial-friendly food truck.

Fridays is hitting the road with the "Summer of Fridays Road Tour," driving food trucks selling TGI Friday's menu favorites across America. The trucks will stop in 20 cities and towns, including Minneapolis, Houston and Brooklyn. The stops primarily coincide with various festivals, such as the Boston Calling Music Festival and a Taste of Dallas.

Related: Longtime Owner Sells TGI Fridays for $800 Million

The trucks are accompanied by a four-man team of "storytellers," dedicated to "bringing you the best of handcrafted America." Summer of Fridays' website presents bios, websites and Instagram shots of these photography-minded "storytellers," as well as photos that strongly fit the hipster stereotype: heavily filtered, trendily dressed in vests and plaid, and no eye contact with the camera.

TGI Fridays seems to be following the Taco Bell model creating business by appealing to millennials. However, while Taco Bell has struck gold with it's over the top, tongue-in-cheek style, TGI Fridays needs to be careful not to hop on the food truck trend right as the oversaturated market makes the trend go from "cool" to "mainstream," or worse, "passé."

With TGI Fridays recent sale from its longtime owner for $800 million, the chain is clearly ready to revamp its image and bring in new customers. The question is – will millennials bite?

Related: The Real Reason Taco Bell Made the Waffle Taco

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Christian Influencer Found Guilty of Defrauding Dozens, Ordered to Pay Nearly $90,000

Dana Chanel was the co-owner of two businesses that she heavily promoted to her 1.1 million Instagram followers.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

Too many entrepreneurs are counting too heavily on a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.

Business News

Renowned Federal Judge, 96, Faces Yearlong Suspension For Refusing to Retire

Judge Pauline Newman, a highly respected figure in patent law, has been suspended for one year by her colleagues due to mounting concerns about her mental fitness.

Branding

AI vs. a Human Touch: Finding The Right Balance When It Comes to Branding

With branding at the forefront of every marketing strategy, finding the balance between AI and genuine human interaction will help brands foster authentic connections and enhance the customer experience, ultimately driving them ahead of the competition and facilitating long-term growth.

Science & Technology

5 Mistakes I Learned to Avoid When Working With ChatGPT

What I learned from using ChatGPT for business purposes day-to-day across my content websites.

Cryptocurrency / Blockchain

Why the Next Crypto Bull Run Will Be Like Nothing We've Ever Experienced

We are on the precipice of what could be the greatest transfer of wealth that has ever happened in human history.