Carrollton, TX (July 19, 2004) - T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants have added five new low carbohydrate items to its Atkins-approved menu. In addition to and separate from the Atkins-approved menu, the T.G.I. Friday's chain is also offering a low-carb Chardonnay and Merlot in more than 530 restaurants across the United States. The additions were introduced on July 13, 2004.
With an estimated 59 million Americans watching their carbohydrate intake, AC Nielsen reports that more than 17% of the nation's households have at least one person following a low carb diet. Sales of all low carb products exceeded $15 billion in 2003, and current estimates expect that figure to reach $30 billion in 2004.
In an effort to meet consumer demand for low carb dining alternatives, T.G.I. Friday's announced the first-of-its-kind partnership with Atkins Nutritional Approach® in December 2003. According to Richard Snead, president and CEO of T.G.I. Friday's parent company Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the partnership with Atkins Nutritional Approach was developed to provide quality and simplicity to consumers wanting to take their reduced carbohydrate lifestyle outside of their own kitchens. According to Snead, consumer response to date has been extremely positive.
"We are very pleased with the success of our Atkins menu. Our carb-conscious guests want variety, and we are committed to offering them new, flavorful options," said Kristin Bloomquist, senior vice president of marketing, T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A. "Our Atkins food items are unique creations that ensure our guests maintain their low carb diet when dining at one of our T.G.I. Friday's restaurants."
New signature dishes added to the existing T.G.I. Friday's Atkins-approved menu include Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad, Roasted Salmon, Chicken La Boca and Key West Grouper. In addition, the Friday's® team has introduced the Atkins-approved New York Cheesecake, the first low carb dessert on the menu.
Another new offering for diners controlling their carbohydrates are two low-carb wines from wine and spirits company Brown-Forman - One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot, which are named after the number of carbohydrates per five-ounce serving. Both wines are produced by California-based StonyBrook Vineyards. The One.6 Chardonnay is light-bodied, fresh and crisp with a hint of melon and citrus fruits. The One.9 Merlot is smooth and medium-bodied with flavors of cherry, blackberry and traces of oak.
According to Stewart Slocum, beverage marketing director for T.G.I. Friday's restaurants, low carb wines are produced from blends that are naturally lower in carbohydrates. "There is a lot of variation in the carbohydrate levels from different regions and even from microclimate to microclimate," explains Slocum. "One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are the result of a meticulous review of wine blends from different regions, and each tastes as good as any premium wine."
One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot debuted in T.G.I. Friday's restaurants in conjunction with the new Atkins menu food items on July 13. Each wine is served in a six-ounce glass at a price point in line with the other offerings on the T.G.I. Friday's wine list. A six-ounce serving of the One.6 Chardonnay has 1.9 grams of carbohydrates and a six-ounce serving of the One.9 Merlot has 2.2 grams of carbohydrates.
Since the first T.G.I. Friday's restaurant opened its doors in New York City in 1965, Friday's restaurants have embodied the spirit of a quintessential American bistro for millions of guests. With more than 820 T.G.I. Friday's restaurants worldwide, the restaurant continues to be best known for its energetic, welcoming environment, great service, extensive menu and those familiar red and white stripes.
