TGI Fridays signs deal to open 10 restaurants in the Balkans
TGI Fridays said it signed a development agreement with Kosovo-based Devolli Group to open 10 restaurants in Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia.
TGI Fridays said on Sept. 4, 2026, that it signed a development agreement with Devolli Group to open 10 restaurants in Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia.
The company said the agreement is its first expansion into the Balkans and fits its franchise-first growth model and 1-2-3 Strategic Vision, which targets more than 1,000 restaurants worldwide by 2030.
The company said Devolli Group will have exclusive rights to sub-franchise the brand across the territory. It described Devolli Group as a diversified business group operating in manufacturing, food and beverage production, hospitality, retail, real estate and strategic investments.
TGI Fridays said the expansion is expected to create jobs, invest in local hospitality talent and support the region's foodservice, tourism and visitor economy. The company also said it already operates in Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Norway and the United Kingdom and has nearly 400 restaurants in almost 40 countries.
The agreement comes as TGI Fridays continues to add to its development pipeline. Over the prior nine months, the company said it signed new development agreements in Kenya and the Maldives and extended partnerships in Peru, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. TGI Fridays said those deals added more than 150 restaurants to the pipeline.
Phil Broad, TGI Fridays' global president, and Blerim Devolli, president of Devolli Group, both described the agreement as a long-term partnership focused on growth in the region. The release did not provide a timeline for when the first locations will open.
TGI Fridays said the agreement is its first step into Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia.
Sources
Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.
View the Web StoryA visual, tap-through version of this reportThis is the AMP version of the article. Read the full article on Atlas Watchline.