In 1994, the first TGIFridays opened in Glorietta, Makati City, a breakthrough restaurant that opened the floodgates for the casual dining experience in the Philippines. The man behind this forerunner concept was The Bistro Group’s Chairman and CEO, William Stelton. It was a trailblazing move that led to other similar restaurant concepts in the F & B industry.
Stelton was very impressed with his first visit to a TGIFridays store in the US, saying he felt the energy and the excitement right away. “That was why I decided to bring the concept to the Philippines,” he says. Its maiden store at Glorietta Mall was the biggest branch in the world at that time. “We had hundreds of people queueing when we launched it. The market’s enthusiastic acceptance of the brand was amazing!” Today, TGIFridays is thriving and expanding in the Philippines.
Soon after, Bistro successfully launched an ensemble of other American brands such as Italianni’s, Denny’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Texas Roadhouse, Randy’s Donuts, Olive Garden, Hard Rock Café and El Pollo Loco. Asian concepts also thrived within the company’s portfolio … Watami, Modern Shang, Red Lotus, Bulgogi Brothers, Secret Recipe, and Fish & Co as well as homegrown restaurants like Krazy Garlik and Siklab+. There are also Spanish concepts like Las Flores, Tomatito, Rambla and Rumba as well as Bistro Elite which includes Helm, Ember, Savage and The Test Kitchen. And only last December, it launched the luxurious brand, Morton’s The Steakhouse.
Conclusively, The Bistro Group is an acknowledged leader in the casual dining category in the Philippines. It has a presence in major malls and stand-alone locations within Metro Manila and in the provinces of Pampanga and Bataan. It has also enhanced its F&B footprint by making its mark in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, opening stores in Cebu and Bacolod to satisfy the ever-evolving demands (and cravings) of Filipino foodies.
New brands revealed
The Bistro Group kickstarts its 30th year by launching much-awaited international concepts including Dave & Buster’s, the ultimate destination for food, drink and entertainment (eatertainment) where guests can dine, drink , play interactive games, or simply watch sports shows at the bar; Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned experiential restaurant from Brazil known for the culinary art of churrasco; Longhorn Steakhouse that serves high quality steaks, ribs, chops, chicken and more and Dessert 129 from Korea. From Bistro’s Corporate Executive Chef Josh Boutwood comes another innovative concept, Juniper. Located at the
Shangri-la Plaza Mall and scheduled to open this February, it offers a large selection of gins, botanicals and tonics with a beautifully crafted menu that was developed to complement the drinking experience.
All these are aligned with Bistro’s aggressive expansion strategy, looking into opening 100+stores in the next 5 years.
A story of people. culture. Service
“Ours is a story of people. Our human resource is an essential contributor towards our growth and profitability. Our personnel are key assets to our company. They are the bedrock of our success and sustainability,” says Jean Paul Manuud, president of The Bistro Group. It also puts a premium on its signature kind of service, a testimony to its commitment to deliver good food resulting in an exceptional dining experience for guests, every time. The consistency of their food, genuine brand of service, resiliency and genuine hospitality lay at the heart of the company and continues to sustain them.
So, where is it going from here? The Bistro Group will keep innovating and developing new concepts, keeping a finger on the pulse of its customers and remaining constantly attuned with the latest industry trends and ever-evolving technology that impacts the F & B industry.
Bistro also lives by what they call the triangle balance, giving equal value to three vital considerations- employees, suppliers and customers. It’s all about these that keeps them going.
Moving forward, the company will continue to celebrate its leadership, incessantly setting the bar high in the Philippines’ casual dining landscape which it has pioneered for 30 years. For The Bistro Group, things have never looked this promising.
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About The Bistro Group
Founded in 1994, The Bistro Group is one of the Philippines’ most progressive restaurant chains that popularized the casual dining concept with the entry of TGIFridays in the country 30 years ago. Its success led to the launch of other world-class brands such as Morton’s The Steakhouse, Italianni’s, Denny’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Texas Roadhouse, Randy’s Donuts and Hard Rock Café among others as well as Asian concepts like Watami, Modern Shang, Bulgogi Brothers and Fish & Co. Also part of its portfolio is TBG Elite by corporate executive chef, Josh Boutwood. Its premier restaurants, highlighted by quality ingredients, seasonality and unique cooking methods are Helm, The Test Kitchen and Ember. The Bistro Group is driven by a people-focused philosophy that is the backbone of its success. Passion and commitment propel its operations…in every restaurant, behind every dish and with every service rendered with generous hospitality. For restaurant concepts and more information about The Bistro Group, visit https://www.bistro.com.ph/
