T.G.I Friday’s is a moderately priced American restaurant that includes good food, a good atmosphere and friendly service.

The décor and music at T.G.I Friday’s fit the theme of the restaurant. Various pictures and memorabilia hang on the walls throughout, and rock music is usually playing just outside the door of the restaurant. The theme of “stripes” is also found throughout the restaurant, on the tables and menus.

I had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant with my parents and trying some of the delicious food. At first, I was slightly disappointed to see that the menu had changed, fearing that it was smaller than it had been previously. However, I was surprised to see all of my favorite dishes were still there.

The good experience started with the friendly hostess who greeted us with a smile and even held the door open for us. Although the restaurant was pretty full, my parents and I only waited ten minutes to be seated.

The servers’ uniforms were casual, most of them wearing all black, some with a hint of red.

Our server was also very knowledgeable about the menu and was welcoming. She was happy to help with any questions that we had about the menu. She also knew the menu inside and out and was able to suggest different dishes to try, which included the specials and also her favorites on the menu.

We started with sharing an endless appetizer, which was a $12 promotion. My family and I ordered the famous and delicious potato skins. They were crispy, perfectly seasoned and served with sour cream.

Next came the entrées; I had the pleasure of trying the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with mac and cheese ($12.99). The chicken itself was tender and moist and the breading was crispy. The Macaroni and Cheese was also delightful, with the creamy cheddar cheese sauce pairing well with the macaroni.

I also sampled some of my parents’ dinners, which included the Sizzling Chicken and Spinach ($14.99) and the All-American Burger with fries ($9.99). The chicken was tender and hot, and the spinach just melted in your mouth. The dish as a whole was presented neatly.

Burgers at T.G.I Friday’s may be cooked however you like. The burger was cooked exactly how it was ordered, to a perfect well-done and had a nice smoky flavor.

One of the only things that can be improved is that the bun on which the burger was served on was not very good. It was slightly stale and took away from the burger.

The fries were crispy on the outside and were seasoned to perfection. They had the right amount of salt and were mouth-watering.

Unfortunately, we were too full to even attempt to try the dessert, but all of it looked tempting. Items on the dessert menu included classic items such as brownies ($6.40) and cheesecake ($6.40), as well as some other favorites.

Wait times for the food were not as long as many other places such as Applebee’s, which can take more than a half hour. The appetizer only took about ten minutes and the entrees were brought out about twenty minutes after that. All of the food was freshly prepared and came to the table hot, and did not seem as if it was just simply defrosted from a freezer.

Junior Chris Pawlusik, who also liked T.G.I Friday’s said, “The décor was really nice…the food was great. I will definitely go…again.”

The menu at T.G.I Friday’s, as well as the atmosphere, can be compared to Applebee’s. Both of these restaurants offer traditional American food including burgers, fries and chicken, and both are decorated similarly. However, T.G.I Fridays impresses more, as the menu is about twice the size and the portions are more worth the price.

Due to the fact that T.G.I Friday’s is a chain that is found all around the country, I expect every location to be the same, so each location will most likely also have friendly staff and good food just like I experienced at the Mayfield Heights location.

The only bad part about being a chain is the fact that there is not much uniqueness between every T.G.I Friday’s restaurant. Being unique is important because each region of the country has something different to offer so a restaurant should reflect that particular region.

Next time you want to go out for a nice dinner with family or simply a quick lunch with friends, T.G.I Friday’s has you covered.