Dallas to Host the 'Top Ten T.G.I. Friday's(R) Bartenders in the World'

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Mar 18, 2010, 02:56 ET

CARROLLTON, Texas, March 18 /PRNewswire/ --

WHO:	The Top Ten T.G.I. Friday's restaurants bartenders in the world!

	Ten Larger than Life mixologists (bartenders) from around the globe will compete on Friday, March 26 for the title of "Greatest T.G.I. Friday's Bartender in the World."

	The T.G.I. Friday's® World Bartender Championship (www.worldbtc.com) features competitors who excel in showmanship (flair bartending) while serving up responsible fun, innovative drinks and provide legendary service to their guests in 60 countries. They include:

	Joey Torres, US Briad Franchise Division Champion (Riverside, CA)
	Gabby Stzancsik, US Northeast Division Champion (Watchung, NJ)
	Albert Brown, Jamaica Champion (Kingston, Jamaica)
	Santiago Emeric, US Southeast Division Champion (Orlando, FL)
	Johan Bergstrom, Norway Champion (Oslo, Norway)
	Brad Kaplan, US Texas/Colorado Division Champion (Thornton, CO)
	Raminad Ong, Philippines Champion (Manila, Philippines)
	Jessica Perrine, US Mid-Atlantic Division Champion (Towson, MD)
	Attila Farmasi, Hungary Champion (Budapest, Hungary)
	Brian Zachau, 5-time Defending US Champion, US Midwest Division Champion (Maple Grove, MN)


WHEN:	Friday, March 26, 2010
	3:30 p.m. local (Central) time

WHERE:	T.G.I. Friday's World Headquarters
	4201 Marsh Lane
	Carrollton, Texas 75007

	NOTE: The T.G.I. Friday's World Bartender Championship is NOT open to the public. Only credentialed media will be granted access to the event. TV crews should plan to arrive early for optimum filming space.

WHY:	To Determine T.G.I. Friday's® Greatest Bartender in the World!

WHAT:	Nearly 8,000 Friday's bartenders from 60 countries entered this year's World Bartender Championship. The championship consists of three segments – compulsory, speed round and freestyle – as well as a comprehensive skill test.

	The must-see media event represents Friday's longstanding heritage, knowledge, expertise and innovation in the beverage industry. The competition began back in the late 80s as a challenge between bartenders and has grown into a full representation of the Friday's brand, one of the most recognized brands in the world.

	Originators of the now-famous, trend-setting, bottle tossing "flair" style of bartending, Friday's bartenders are world renowned for their accuracy and precision, their larger than life personalities and their award-winning ability to entertain guests around the world.

MEDIA ELEMENTS:

EVENT WEB SITE: Friday's maintains an event site for the World Bartender Championship: www.worldbtc.com. The site contains information about the annual competition, profiles on all finalists including individual image and video galleries, a video recap of the previous championship, news releases about the championship, information on charities, the history of T.G.I. Friday's restaurants and media contact information.

INTERVIEWS/ON-AIR APPEARANCES: The finalists are available for interviews prior to the event. The World Champion and US Champion will be available for interviews and on-air appearances immediately following the event. For interview and/or on-air appearance consideration, please call Tom Beyer, 480-358-8135 or email [email protected].

TEXT/IMAGES: A winner's announcement will be sent to media via PR Newswire Monday (3/29). Images and video clips from T.G.I. Friday's World Bartender Championship will be available immediately following the competition and can also be requested in advance by emailing [email protected].

With more than 900 restaurants in 60 countries, including approximately 600 restaurants in the US, T.G.I. Friday's offers great food, innovative drinks and a unique experience filled with flair and a Thank God It's Friday's™ attitude. Friday's authentic, engaging atmosphere makes it the perfect place to escape, socialize and connect with people while getting a rejuvenating second wind. Members of Give Me More Stripes®, Friday's guest recognition program, receive free stuff and special perks year-round. As the original casual dining restaurant, T.G.I. Friday's has a rich heritage which includes being credited with popularizing Happy Hour, Long Island Iced Tea and Loaded Potato Skins. T.G.I. Friday's is also famous for its flair bartenders, approximately 8000 of whom compete annually for the title of the "World's Greatest T.G.I. Friday's Bartender."

Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of TGI Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson, a world leader in the hospitality and travel industries. As of March 2010, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide owns, operates, franchises or licenses more than 1,000 restaurants in 60 countries. For more information, visit http://www.fridays.com.

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SOURCE T.G.I. Friday's Restaurants