200+ Restaurants Now and 100 More Coming Soon: The Bistro Group Marks 30 Years in the Philippines
When the first TGI Friday’s in Manila opened at Glorietta Mall in 1994, it marked the beginning of The Bistro Group’s foray into casual dining in the Philippines. Thirty years later, The Bistro Group is now one of the largest restaurant conglomerates in the Philippines, with over 200 full-service restaurants as of November 2024, and plans to open even more concepts this year.
The Bistro Group's 30th Anniversary
TBG celebrated its 30th anniversary with an event at the Hard Rock Cafe at S Maison mall in Pasay in late January. The company’s chairman and CEO William Stelton shared how a visit to a TGI Fridays in the U. S., noting the energy and excitement in the restaurant, inspired him to bring the concept to the Philippines. At the time, the Glorietta location was the largest TGI Fridays in the world, and its launch was met with significant public enthusiasm.
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Today, TBG’s portfolio includes a variety of international and homegrown brands, spanning a variety of cuisines, including American, Italian, Asian, and Spanish. Its roster of restaurant brands includes Italianni's, Denny's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Texas Roadhouse, Randy's Donuts, Olive Garden, Hard Rock Cafe, El Pollo Loco, Watami, Modern Shang, Red Lotus, Bulgogi Brothers, Secret Recipe, Fish & Co, Krazy Garlik, Siklab+, Las Flores, Tomatito, Rambla, and Rumba.
It also includes a Bistro Elite group of restaurants in partnership with the company’s executive chef Josh Boutwood—Helm, Ember, Savage, and The Test Kitchen. And just last December, the group launched Morton's The Steakhouse in Manila.
The Bistro Group now has locations in major malls and stand-alone spaces across Metro Manila, as well as in Pampanga, Bataan, Cebu, and Bacolod.
At the event, TBG announced plans to open a whopping over 100 new stores within the next five years. The expansion includes the launch of several new international concepts, including Dave & Buster's, Fogo de Chão, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Dessert 129. Chef Josh Boutwood will also introduce a new concept, Juniper, at Shangri-la Plaza Mall later this month.
