TGI Fridays has brought back its holiday takeover, TGI Elf Days, with a seasonal menu and desserts named for holiday movies. The chain announced on Nov. 10, 2026, that the promotion runs now through Jan. 4, 2027, at participating restaurants worldwide.
The return includes themed areas inside restaurants, new hot honey starters, a handful of new entrees and cocktails, and a second year of a partnership with TBS. Here is what is on the menu, what it costs and how the Elf Bucks offer works.
Movie-Inspired Desserts With TBS
The dessert list leans on the season’s best-known films. According to the chain’s Nov. 10 announcement, the desserts tie in with TBS’s holiday movie lineup, which begins Nov. 13:
The Grinch’s Who-Liday Cheesecake ($9.50): New York-style cheesecake with white and dark chocolate and crushed candy canes.
Polar Express Golden Ticket Hot Cocoa and Cookie ($6.99): hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, served with a warm snickerdoodle cookie.
Oooh Fuuudge Brownie Obsession: a warm fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream, caramel and glazed pecans. The release does not list its price.
The names point to two long-running holiday titles. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss and published in 1957, according to its Wikipedia entry. The Polar Express film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, was released in the U.S. on Nov. 10, 2004, and is based on Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 children’s book, according to the Wikipedia entry on the film. Hot chocolate is served to the children on the train in the story, which explains the cocoa pairing.
The crushed candy canes on the cheesecake are a nod to the stocking stuffers covered in Craftingyourhome.com’s list of classic Christmas candies that filled stockings for generations, and the snickerdoodle shows up on Craftingyourhome.com’s rundown of Christmas cookies families bake every December. For anyone who would rather bring the holiday look home, Frenzhub has a set of simple cozy crafts for a hygge winter.
A Chain Built on a Friday Feeling
TGI Fridays was founded on March 15, 1965, in New York City by Alan Stillman, who took the name from the expression “Thank God it’s Friday!”, according to the Wikipedia entry on the chain. It is now based in Dallas.
The name still frames the brand’s promotions, including the Festive Fridays built into this year’s holiday program. For many diners, an after-work dinner at a casual chain has the same nostalgic pull as the habits in Frenzhub’s list of little rituals from the ’80s and ’90s that disappeared without much notice.
Hot Honey Starters and New Entrees
Two new starters use Mike’s Hot Honey. The Mike’s Hot Honey Sriracha Mozzarella Sticks are fried mozzarella and Asiago sticks tossed in a hot honey-sriracha sauce and served with marinara. The Mike’s Hot Honey Sriracha Wings come traditional or boneless with celery and ranch or bleu cheese. The release does not list starter prices.
Mike’s Hot Honey, a chili-infused honey, was founded by Mike Kurtz in Brooklyn in 2010, according to the Wikipedia entry on the brand, the same year he introduced it at a Greenpoint pizzeria.
The new and seasonal entrees, with prices from the release:
Dragon-Fire Chicken ($18.99): grilled chicken in a sweet and spicy Korean BBQ glaze with mango, pico de gallo, rice and cilantro-lime broccoli. Salmon can be swapped in for $1 more.
Mike’s Hot Honey Sriracha Ribs ($31.99): a full rack of baby back ribs with loaded mashed potatoes, coleslaw and extra sauce.
Sizzling Garlic Ginger Steak ($29.99): an 8-ounce sirloin over vegetables on a hot platter, with butter sauce poured tableside.
NY Strip with Lobster Topper ($39.99) and Championship BBQ Pork Medallions ($18.99) round out the list.
Frenzhub’s explainer on ghost kitchens looks at another way casual-dining chains have been reshaping how their menus reach customers.
Themed Areas and Holiday Cocktails
Restaurants taking part are set up with festive areas named Candy Cane Corner, Santa’s Workshop, Snowball Lounge and Naughty Elf Bar, according to the release, which does not describe them in detail. Availability, pricing and participation may vary by location, and the chain directs guests to contact their local restaurant.
The cocktail list includes the Santa Pants ($13.99), made with tequila, cranberry and lime and topped with ginger beer. The Big Kahuna Klaus comes in a Santa Mason Jar, and guests can buy the glass for $7. The Jolly Pom-a-rita and the Ho Ho Hennessy, served in a holiday ornament ball, round out the drinks. The Christmas Tree-O and the Melting Snowman Sundae return from last year.
How Elf Bucks and Festive Fridays Work
The Elf Bucks offer gives $5 back on a $25 spend and $10 back on a $50 or larger spend, toward a later visit, with up to two redemptions per table per visit. The release lists the Elf Bucks offer as running through Feb. 28, 2027.
Every Friday of the program is a Festive Friday with TBS. Guests get a $5 Elf Buck, Fridays Rewards members earn double points, and restaurants host holiday movie and trivia nights and giveaways. Rewards members can also unlock an extra $5 with a $50 purchase through a digital coupon. Separately, Kids Eat Free every Tuesday with the purchase of an adult entree.
Ray Blanchette, chief executive officer of TGI Fridays, said in the release that “TGI Elf Days was a huge hit among Guests last year.”
For diners planning a visit, the key dates are simple: the TBS movie tie-in begins Nov. 13, the Elf Days menu and themed areas run through Jan. 4, 2027, and Elf Bucks run through Feb. 28, 2027. Because participation varies, checking with the nearest restaurant before heading out is the safest way to confirm which items and themed areas are on offer.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Harrison Keely – CC BY 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
