Ray Blanchette

For privately held companies, classic names like Red Lobster and Sizzler, they've risen from bankruptcy and are hotspots once again.

And now TGI Fridays under CEO Ray Blanchette is trying to get some of that flair back as well, staging a revival under new ownership, an all franchise system, a $12 value meal bundle, and an ambitious target of more than 1,000 locations globally by 2030.

Ray Blanchette joins us right now, the CEO of TGI Fridays.

Ray, great to have you here on the program.

Talk to me about this story.

I mean, you previously ran this company, uh, back in, you know, uh, 20, uh, 18 to 2023 or so, uh, and now you're back at the helm here.

A, a lot of the issues were also under your watch during that stretch there.

So what are you doing different now that whatever, for whatever reason, you weren't able to execute in 2018 to 20 thir- 23 when you were CEO then?