15 things you never knew about TGI Fridays

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• TGI Fridays has had quite the history since it opened its first location in 1965.
• It was the first American chain restaurant to open a location in Moscow, Russia.
• The franchise petitioned the International Olympic Committee to include bartending as an official Olympic sport.
• It use to be a singles bar.

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TGI Fridays is an American classic, known for its fast casual eats, from burgers and sandwiches to steaks and seafood.

But did you know that it was one of the first singles bars in America? Or that some of its bartenders hold a Guinness World Record?

TGI Fridays has a history that is as full of flair as its locations — keep reading to find out 15 things you didn't know about the chain.

The first TGI Fridays location opened in New York City in 1965.

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The first location opened on First Avenue and 63rd Street in New York City. It is said that Alan Stillman opened it in order to meet the single "stewardesses" that lived in his neighborhood.

It was originally known as a thriving single's bar.

TGI Fridays

"My business plan was to meet a lot of women," founder Alan Stillman said in Business Insider's podcast "Household Name." "It's a hell of a business plan, I'll tell you that."

TGI Fridays quickly became a prime hangout for young adults, and was often completely packed.

The restaurant opened its second location in Memphis, to huge success.

Flickr/Mike Mozart

The Memphis location was wildly popular in the 1980s, and quickly became a hub for Memphis' counterculture, filled with booze, drugs, and rock and roll. Apparently, it had an underground queer scene and a stage where local bands performed.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• 10 unique regional food combinations around the US
• These are the 10 best meals in the world
• 10 celebrities you forgot made terrible singles

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