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Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I ordered the cheapest burger meal at Applebee's, Chili's, and TGI Friday's — one chain had the best value by far
I tried the cheapest cheeseburgers on the menu at Applebee's, Chili's, and TGI Fridays. Each affordable burger was properly cooked and served with plenty of fries. The best value was at Chili's, where my burger came with fries, a soft drink, and a starter. Fast food may still be quick and convenient, but rising prices are making it lose some of its appeal. On the bright side, the fact that it costs me $10 just to get a burger, fries, and drink at McDonald's is making sit-down chains look extra appealing. Turns out, I can get that order at several popular casual dining chains like TGI Fridays, Applebee's, and Chili's for about the same price. So, I visited each of them in search of the cheapest burger-and-fries combo on the menu. I wanted to see if I could get a good meal at a low price at these chains, and I was pleasantly surprised at all three — but one really stood out. TGI Fridays' burger was tasty, but my meal wasn't perfect. A cheeseburger and fries cost me $9.99 at TGI Fridays, though my meal didn't include a soft drink. My burger was perfectly cooked to my medium-well request and generously topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, TGI Sauce (sweet and tangy), and cheese. The veggies were layered under the patty, with the cheese on top, which made the burger easier to eat. I appreciated how well it held together, especially as so many cheeseburgers devolve into knife-and-fork piles. The meat itself seemed entirely free of gristle, and the patty was a decent size — I'd estimate it was at least ¼ pound of beef, if not a bit more. My fries came out hot and had a nice crunch, but they were way too salty for me. They only made me wish my meal had come with a refreshing soft drink, but that would have cost extra. Fortunately, my water was still free and, overall, the meal was certainly well worth its price. The burger at Applebee's tasted great, but it was a mess to eat. To get the best deal on a burger meal at Applebee's, I ordered from the chain's Really Big Meal Deal menu. That menu includes several different burgers and a chicken sandwich priced at $9.99. Each comes with fries and a soft drink, meaning this meal was already a better value than the one I got at TGI Fridays. I went with the classic cheeseburger, which was a hit. It was cooked just right, with a bit of pink left in the center and a hint of char on the exterior. The lettuce, pickles, and tomato were stacked high, and the tasty, slightly sweet brioche bun seemed fresh. I appreciated the generous portion of toppings, but they made the patty slide off the bun with each bite. I needed to use a fork and a knife toward the end. The fries at Applebee's were hot, crunchy, plentiful, and not too salty. All told, this meal was entirely worth its price, messy burger and all. My burger at Chili's came with a starter. The cheapest burger I found at Chili's was on the chain's 3 for Me menu. I could get a burger with fries, a soft drink, and a starter, all for $10.99. The options for starters include a cup of soup, a house side salad, or chips and salsa. I went with baked-potato soup, which came heavily topped with bacon, cheese, and green onions. The portion wasn't huge, but as the soup seemed like a total bonus, I didn't mind. The burger and fries at Chili's were pretty decent, too. The burger I got at Chili's was pretty bare bones, but at least the patty was large — it was broad and flat, in a "smash" style — and cooked well. Plus, the bun tasted fresh. However, it felt like the most boring burger I tried, topped with just a tangy sauce, cheese, and a bit of chopped onion. I had expected the usual lettuce, tomato, or pickles (and think they would've paired well with the patty) but I didn't get any. This wasn't that big of a deal, though, as I was already half sated from my bonus starting course. The fries at Chili's were thick and had just the right amount of salt. They were pleasantly complemented by my ginger ale (also included with my meal). All things considered, I'd probably head back to Chili's first. Each meal cost an extra $2 or so after tipping my servers. Even still, I felt the prices I paid were fair across the board. In terms of final thoughts, I was bummed my affordable cheeseburger at TGI Fridays didn't come with a soft drink. At Applebee's, I got a drink, burger, and fries — but at Chili's, my burger was accompanied by fries, a beverage, and a starter, making it far and away the best deal. Although the Chili's burger wasn't my favorite, it was still good. If it had been more heavily topped, it would've been on par with the ones from Applebee's and TGI Fridays.
Metro
28-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
American restaurant announces ‘major comeback' in UK with first-ever breakfast menu
It's been 39 years since American chain TGI Fridays launched here in the UK, with the first restaurant opening in Birmingham in 1986. Since then, they've opened dozens more and today they have 49 locations nationwide. The chain's parent company Hostmore went into administration in October 2024 which saw a number of sites shutter, but the brand has since been purchased by Breal Capital and Calveton (Evolv Collection), with a major relaunch planned for July 4. As part of this, the menu is being overhauled both here and across the pond, with TGI Fridays launching its first-ever breakfast offering in the UK, as part of what Simon Wilkinson, board director and operating partner at Evolv and TGI Fridays, described as 'the comeback of all comebacks'. The new 'Rise and Dine' menu is available now at more than 20 of the chain's restaurants and prices start from £5. Dishes available include a bacon ciabatta (£5), a Breakfast Melt featuring pulled beef, pulled pork or crushed avocado (from £6.50) and a literal tray of food known as the All-American Slam (£10.95). This beast of a breakfast features pork sausages, bacon, fried eggs, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomato, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta bread. Still hungry? Another new dish boasts an 8oz steak, mushrooms, grilled tomato, a fried egg and hash brown bites for £14.95. And for those who prefer something a little sweeter, there's also a triple stack of pancakes topped with Oreo crumble and vanilla ice cream (£8) or the Big New Yorker (£9) which sees pancakes topped with maple glazed bacon, crispy chicken strips, a fried egg and maple syrup. Vegetarian options will be available too, incluidng The Garden State Slam (£10.95) made with plant-based chicken, smashed avocado, Cajun-spiced corn chips, fried eggs, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta. And there's a Hash Brown Stack (£7) where the bites are loaded up with melted cheese, pink pickled onions and a fried egg before being drizzled in a maple siracha dressing. Those who fancy it can also add BBQ pulled pork or maple glazed bacon too. No menu change would be complete without a few new drinks, which TGI Fridays are calling 'Sunrise sips'. These beverages are available in the morning for £5.73 each and include the Gold Medalist (banana, strawberry, pineapple and grenadine), Fresh as Cucumber (cucumber, lemon, elderflower, cranberry and soda water) and Minty Apple Soda (apple, vanilla, mint and soda water). A selection of fresh apple, cranberry, orange or pineapple juice is also available for £4 each. Full list of TGI Fridays locations that offer breakfast: Birmingham NEC (event days only) Bluewater Bournemouth Braintree Crawley Cribbs Causeway Doncaster Glasgow Fort High Wycombe Junction 27 Lakeside Quay Leeds White Rose Liverpool One Meadowhall Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Stadium Norwich Nottingham Rushden Lakes Silverburn St David's (Cardiff) Teesside Telford The O2 Trafford Centre Union Square Aberdeen Watford Central Wembley Do you have a story to share?
Metro
28-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
American restaurant chain unveils first breakfast menu in UK with dishes from £5
It's been 39 years since American chain TGI Fridays launched here in the UK, with the first restaurant opening in Birmingham in 1986. Since then, they've opened dozens more and today they have 49 locations nationwide. The company went into administration in October 2024 which saw a number of sites shutter, but it has since been purchased by Breal Capital and Calveton (Evolv Collection), with a major relaunch of the brand planned for July 4. As part of this, the menu is being overhauled both here and across the pond, with TGI Fridays launching its first-ever breakfast offering in the UK, as part of what Simon Wilkinson, board director and operating partner at Evolv and TGI Fridays, described as 'the comeback of all comebacks'. The new 'Rise and Dine' menu is available now at more than 20 of the chain's restaurants and prices start from £5. Dishes available include a bacon ciabatta (£5), a Breakfast Melt featuring pulled beef, pulled pork or crushed avocado (from £6.50) and a literal tray of food known as the All-American Slam (£10.95). This beast of a breakfast features pork sausages, bacon, fried eggs, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomato, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta bread. Still hungry? Another new dish boasts an 8oz steak, mushrooms, grilled tomato, a fried egg and hash brown bites for £14.95. And for those who prefer something a little sweeter, there's also a triple stack of pancakes topped with Oreo crumble and vanilla ice cream (£8) or the Big New Yorker (£9) which sees pancakes topped with maple glazed bacon, crispy chicken strips, a fried egg and maple syrup. Vegetarian options will be available too, incluidng The Garden State Slam (£10.95) made with plant-based chicken, smashed avocado, Cajun-spiced corn chips, fried eggs, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta. More Trending And there's a Hash Brown Stack (£7) where the bites are loaded up with melted cheese, pink pickled onions and a fried egg before being drizzled in a maple siracha dressing. Those who fancy it can also add BBQ pulled pork or maple glazed bacon too. No menu change would be complete without a few new drinks, which TGI Fridays are calling 'Sunrise sips'. These beverages are available in the morning for £5.73 each and include the Gold Medalist (banana, strawberry, pineapple and grenadine), Fresh as Cucumber (cucumber, lemon, elderflower, cranberry and soda water) and Minty Apple Soda (apple, vanilla, mint and soda water). A selection of fresh apple, cranberry, orange or pineapple juice is also available for £4 each. Birmingham NEC (event days only) Bluewater Bournemouth Braintree Crawley Cribbs Causeway Doncaster Glasgow Fort High Wycombe Junction 27 Lakeside Quay Leeds White Rose Liverpool One Meadowhall Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Stadium Norwich Nottingham Rushden Lakes Silverburn St David's (Cardiff) Teesside Telford The O2 Trafford Centre Union Square Aberdeen Watford Central Wembley Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: The UK's best restaurant has been crowned and it sells 'superb' £10 sandwiches MORE: Rare Cadbury chocolate bar spotted in UK and fans say it's 'delightful' MORE: French fast food chain with 'top notch' burgers is launching in UK
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Family favourite restaurant chain with 49 sites launches all-new breakfast menu and prices start at just £5
A POPULAR restaurant chain with 49 locations across the UK has launched an all-new mouthwatering breakfast menu. TGI Fridays will wave in customers with the selection of dishes to start the day - with some offerings as cheap as a fiver. 2 2 The 'Rise and Dine' menu, which begins on July 4, will feature an Oreo Crunch Pancake Stack, the All-American Slam breakfast and Steak & Egg. Veggies can join in the delicious fun too, as its Garden State Slam comes complete with plant-based chicken, smashed avocado, Cajun-spiced corn chips, fried eggs, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta. Punters keen not to break the bank can sink their teeth into a Bacon Ciabatta. The breakfast classic made affordable at just £5, with crispy bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh tomato on a warm ciabatta. Diners can accompany their meal with a thirst-quenching beverage, with fresh apple, cranberry, orange and pineapple juice available, as well as a choice of 'Sunrise Sips'. The chain's facelift comes after TGI Fridays plunged into administration in September, putting all 87 locations at risk. Since its debut in Birmingham in 1986, TGI Fridays quickly expanded nationwide, winning over diners with its casual American bistro-style experience. Serving staff were known as Dub Dubs, and taught the art of entertaining their customers with jokes, banter, and other gimmicks like juggling and magic tricks, all performed with impeccable table craft and cheeriness. A decade ago, the chain was acquired by a private equity firm, which rebranded it by removing all punctuation, changing the name from T.G.I Friday's to TGI Fridays. In 2021, the company was spun off into Hostmore, which was a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange until the recent administration led to its being delisted. I went to TGI Fridays for bottomless brunch - the service was super quick and two things really shocked me Recently, the chain's fortunes have waned, with Hostmore reporting that UK sales have dropped by more than 10% this year compared to last year. TGI Fridays' biggest market is the US, where it operates 128 restaurants, including franchised sites. It also operates more than 270 restaurants in countries around the world. I'M LOVIN' IT It comes after McDonald's made mornings even tastier with its first-ever Breakfast Saver Menu. The bargain meals are launching in selected branches across the country with bites starting from as little as 79p. The fast food is serving up favourites like the Cheesy Bacon Flatbread (£1.99), Saver Bacon Roll (£2.19), and porridge pots (£1.69). The Sausage Sandwich is an exciting new addition to the morning offerings and costs just £1.99. There is a variety of snacks on offer, including apple slices (79p) and hash browns (£1.59), which can be washed down with Tropicana apple or orange juice (£1.89). The Breakfast Saver Menu launched on May 7 across 332 UK restaurants in the North of the country.
Scottish Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Family favourite restaurant chain with 49 sites launches all-new breakfast menu and prices start at just £5
Meateaters and veggies will have a selection of mouthwatering options to choose from BARGAIN BREKKIE Family favourite restaurant chain with 49 sites launches all-new breakfast menu and prices start at just £5 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A POPULAR restaurant chain with 49 locations across the UK has launched an all-new mouthwatering breakfast menu. TGI Fridays will wave in customers with the selection of dishes to start the day - with some offerings as cheap as a fiver. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 TGI Fridays has launched an exciting new breakfast menu Credit: Alamy 2 The chain will introduce the meals as it fights its way back from administration The 'Rise and Dine' menu, which begins on July 4, will feature an Oreo Crunch Pancake Stack, the All-American Slam breakfast and Steak & Egg. Veggies can join in the delicious fun too, as its Garden State Slam comes complete with plant-based chicken, smashed avocado, Cajun-spiced corn chips, fried eggs, hash brown bites and toasted ciabatta. Punters keen not to break the bank can sink their teeth into a Bacon Ciabatta. The breakfast classic made affordable at just £5, with crispy bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh tomato on a warm ciabatta. Diners can accompany their meal with a thirst-quenching beverage, with fresh apple, cranberry, orange and pineapple juice available, as well as a choice of 'Sunrise Sips'. The chain's facelift comes after TGI Fridays plunged into administration in September, putting all 87 locations at risk. Since its debut in Birmingham in 1986, TGI Fridays quickly expanded nationwide, winning over diners with its casual American bistro-style experience. Serving staff were known as Dub Dubs, and taught the art of entertaining their customers with jokes, banter, and other gimmicks like juggling and magic tricks, all performed with impeccable table craft and cheeriness. A decade ago, the chain was acquired by a private equity firm, which rebranded it by removing all punctuation, changing the name from T.G.I Friday's to TGI Fridays. In 2021, the company was spun off into Hostmore, which was a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange until the recent administration led to its being delisted. I went to TGI Fridays for bottomless brunch - the service was super quick and two things really shocked me Recently, the chain's fortunes have waned, with Hostmore reporting that UK sales have dropped by more than 10% this year compared to last year. TGI Fridays' biggest market is the US, where it operates 128 restaurants, including franchised sites. It also operates more than 270 restaurants in countries around the world. I'M LOVIN' IT It comes after McDonald's made mornings even tastier with its first-ever Breakfast Saver Menu. The bargain meals are launching in selected branches across the country with bites starting from as little as 79p. The fast food is serving up favourites like the Cheesy Bacon Flatbread (£1.99), Saver Bacon Roll (£2.19), and porridge pots (£1.69). The Sausage Sandwich is an exciting new addition to the morning offerings and costs just £1.99. There is a variety of snacks on offer, including apple slices (79p) and hash browns (£1.59), which can be washed down with Tropicana apple or orange juice (£1.89). The Breakfast Saver Menu launched on May 7 across 332 UK restaurants in the North of the country.
