The Dallas, Texas-headquartered TGI Fridays restaurant chain is partnering with Beyond Meat, an innovator in plant-based faux meat products, to build on its offerings and introduce new menu items featuring Beyond Beef. Known for ribs, iconic potato skins and drinks, TGI Fridays is also leading the way for plant-based meat options by utilizing Beyond Beef to create a proprietary chili recipe to feature on its menu.
Beyond Chili is a warm, flavor-packed chili featuring Beyond Meat’s Beyond Beef. The plant-based meat options at Fridays don’t end there — in addition to Beyond Chili, guests can now order Beyond Chili Loaded Potato Skins, Beyond Chili Ballpark Nachos, and a Beyond Chili Cheeseburger – as well as the Beyond Meat Cheeseburger that’s been a favorite on the menu since 2018.
Fridays sees the plant-based trend growing and believes the taste, health benefits and versatility of faux meat signifies its exponential potential. The brand has found the following data:
- The presence of “plant-based” references on US menus has increased by more than 3,000% over the past four years. Furthermore, Datassential expects it to jump another 70% over the next four years.
- More than eight in 10 consumers in the United States are “aware” of “plant-based” and more than half (54%) of consumers have tried it. (Source: Datassential FLAVOR)
- 74% of consumers are trying to eat less meat since the onset of the Covid-19 health crisis, and 61% are open to restaurants featuring more plant-based products. (Source: Datassential Coronavirus Report 18)
- Plant-based protein is more than a trend, it’s here to stay. 83% of consumers believe that diets higher in plant-based protein are a “fundamental change that will last for a long time or forever.” (Source: Mattson Survey 2020)
- About 64% of all Americans “like” or “love” potato skins, with 28% saying “love.” (Source: Datassential FLAVOR)
“We’re about making everyone feel welcome here and that means having more than one or two plant-based meat options on our menu for people, whether they’re plant-based eaters or meat eaters,” said TGI Fridays Chief Experience Officer Sara Bittorf. “With five menu items featuring Beyond Meat, there’s something for everyone.”
About the Restaurant Chain
In 1965, TGI Fridays opened its first location in New York City. More than 50 years later, Fridays operates more than 850 restaurants in 55 countries offering authentic American food and drinks.
