TGI Fridays has signed a deal with Bliss Bites to open five new restaurants across New York State. 

The deal, the company’s first domestic development agreement in more than a decade, is part of a comprehensive growth plan to reach more than 1000 units and $2 billion in annual revenue by 2030.  

Founded in 1965, the chain currently has nearly 400 restaurants in almost 40 countries. 

“Growth only matters when it’s built with the right partners, and this five-restaurant development agreement is exactly what we envisioned for our 1-2-3 Strategic Vision,” said Ashley Kirkley, COO of TGI Fridays.

“We’re bringing passionate franchisees into the Fridays family, building in markets where this iconic brand belongs, and creating restaurants that deliver the energy, hospitality, and celebration our guests expect from Fridays.”

Fridays opened its first restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in 1965, however that closed in the 1990s.

The chain now has two restaurants in New York, located in Valley Stream and Central Islip.

In addition to developing the five new restaurants over three years, Bliss Bites has also acquired Fridays’ Central Islip location.

“Between our restaurant in Central Islip and the new locations we’re planning across New York, we’re building on a brand I already believe in, backed by the kind of corporate support that makes long-term growth possible,” said Vinod Chand, MD of Bliss Bites.

• Further reading: ‘Black ownership’: G5ive Restaurant Group seeks to acquire TGI Fridays.