TGI Friday's is the flagship brand of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide which is part of the $22 billion Carlson Hospitality Worldwide.TGIF has a presence in over 47 countries through its 560 restaurants.Further, the company plans to expand the Carlson Restaurant's Italian food chain, Italianni's in India by setting up at least 15 restaurants over the next five years.

All the Carlson chain of restaurants in India will be opened in association with the local Indian franchisee, Bistro Hospitality Limited.Bistro Hospitality's chief executive-operations, Vilas Pawar said that the company will invest around Rs 100 crore for setting up close to 30 TGIF outlets and around 15 Itallianni's outlets. The company will raise funds primarily through debt and internal accruals.

There are no plans to tap funds through the equity route. Once fully operational, these centres will have the capacity of generating a turnover of well over Rs 100 crore per annum, said Pawar. TGIF's first outlet in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi opened three years ago, has become the highest revenue-earning restaurant in or outside a hotel in India. It generates a revenue of close to Rs 8 crore per annum. TGIF's second outlet will open on June 19 at Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Bistro Hospitality will open another outlet in Bangalore before August and two in Mumbai before the end of this year. Besides Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, TGIF's also plans to enter cities like Chennai, Jalandhar, Hyderabad and Pune in due course of time. The first Italianni's outlet was opened at Radisson Hotel in New Delhi. Bistro Hospitality plans to set up one each in Bangalore and Mumbai. Carlson Restaurants Worldwide's chief operating officer, Richard Snead told the Finnacial Express that India is among the five biggest markets for Carlson and has the potential of figuring among the top three markets globally.

When asked why India was chosen as the most preferred destination in Asia, Snead said that factors like technology growth and a burgeoning middle class are crucial.

He said that the plans are on to make each TGIF or Itallianni's outlet an independent profit centre accountable to one centralised office."TGIF's aims to make dining out a unique experience which will offer an extensive international menu with plentiful vegetarian options," said Snead.