T.G.I. Friday's Scandinavia

Epson Printers and Squirrel POS System Keep Customers Saying "Takk"

The weekend is here, and T.G.I. Friday’s bar and restaurant is the place to be on Karl Johansgate, the main thoroughfare in Oslo, Norway. The American style establishment is packed with happy customers, served by high-energy waiters and bartenders who produce receipts from Epson printers for orders totaling up to $7,000 per peak hour. At the seven T.G.I. Friday’s outlets in Sweden and Norway, 40 percent of weekly sales are during busy Friday and Saturday late evenings.

“No matter how popular we are in this part of the world, we have to balance our high labor, food and operating costs with quality and service to turn a good profit,” said Espen Holm, senior vice president at T.G.I. Friday’s, Scandinavia, part of T.G.I. Friday’s International, a division of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, Inc. of Dallas, Texas. With 740 locations in 54 countries, T.G.I. Friday’s is known for its funloving atmosphere, frozen drinks, appetizers, and innovative entrees like Friday’s Jack Daniels Grill. T.G.I. Friday’s opened its first Scandinavian restaurant and bar in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996.

T.G.I. Friday’s Scandinavia today depends on point-of-sale (POS) technology that works as effectively as its staff to serve customers. Because the company needed a POS solution to add more efficiency, speed and flexibility to operations, T.G.I. Friday’s chose the Squirrel restaurant management system with Epson printers for all Scandinavian locations.

“Our leading role at T.G.I. Friday’s Scandinavia demonstrates the value we add to the efficient and successful operations of restaurant establishments located anywhere in the world,” said Barry Logan, president at Squirrel Systems, of Vancouver, B.C. The Epson Acclaim Strategic Business Partner is a leading total solutions provider of management systems for independent and chain establishments. As the first to introduce touch-screen ordering into the restaurant market, Squirrel has a long and consistent track record as an innovator.

The T.G.I. Friday’s Scandinavia POS solution includes SquirrelOne, a client/server application fully integrated with the latest Microsoft operating environment, Epson’s TM-T90 and TM-T88II receipt printers, and the TM-U210 kitchen printer. From counter to kitchen, the Epson printers reduce operating costs, simplify training, and step up customer orders.

Because Scandinavian laws require merchants to issue a receipt for each sale, the receipt printer is given a featured role in the process. “Speed and reliability become more essential to avoid stumbling blocks on the job that slow down service,” said Holm. “We want servers and bartenders out there selling our food and beverages; not waiting on receipts or staring with puzzled faces at terminal screens.”

The Epson TM-T888III printer and the one- and two-color TM-T90 printer produce thermal receipts, graphics, logos and coupons at ultra fast speeds, ideal for high-volume settings like T.G.I. Friday’s. With features like drop-in paper loading and an auto cutter, management can minimize downtime and accelerate cashier training. In the kitchen, the Epson TM-U210 withstands spills and heat while printing two-color orders with highlighted modifiers for accurate order fulfillment. Chefs depend as much on the printouts as other kitchen tools to keep up with the fast pace.

H I G H L I G H T S


• Epson quality and reliability reduce cost of ownership
• The TM-T88III is the perfect solution for high-volume retail and hospitality environments that require fast and quiet printing with few consumables.
• Easy drop-in paper loading with tear-bar and auto-cutter

Epson print technology linked with the Squirrel POS solution also helps T.G.I. Friday’s counterbalance the high labor costs in Scandinavia, where staff members are paid up to $20 per hour. “A faster, more efficient POS system is a fraction of the cost compared to thousands of labor hours each year,” said Holm. “Everything we do depends on efficiency, so we rely even more so on technology to stay on track.” The POS system allows servers to effectively communicate with the kitchen systems and quickly serve customers in the bar and dining areas without wasting valuable time.

T.G.I. Friday’s also wanted a POS system that surpassed previous solutions to keep employees and guests happy. The company encourages servers and bartenders, dressed in the brand’s signature red and-white stripes, to be upbeat and outgoing. An easy-to-use POS system creates a better on-the-job experience that directly relates to good customer service.

Teamwork between T.G.I. Friday’s Scandinavia, Squirrel and Epson resulted in a POS solution that reflects T.G.I. Friday’s reputation for innovation. A highspirited American style atmosphere, outstanding food and drink, and effective operations are making T.G.I Fridays stand out in the Nordic region. Whether in Stockholm, Bergen or Oslo, the locals can always use more Friday’s.