There used to be several locations of TGI Fridays in Santiago. Attrition has slowly whittled that down to one remaining location in Bellavista. The U.S. based restaurant chain is one of the largest and most prolific international restaurant franchisors. It was the first of many copy-cats in what we call an American-style bistro. Other brands in this genre have met with mixed success in Santiago as well. There were once a handful of Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday restaurants in Santiago, but they have all since closed their doors except for a single Ruby Tuesday still operating in Santiago’s international airport.

There are some recent additions to the restaurant landscape in Santiago in this genre. Route 66 brings a slightly more upscale personality to the American-style bistro. And the U.S. based franchise, Chili’s, offering a Tex-Mex and Southwestern USA look and feel has recently had several franchise operations open in Santiago-area shopping malls.

Other than the standard bar appetizers, potato skins and nachos, burgers and fancy salads, Friday’s has recently added a United Plates of America section to the menu that includes main-course plates featuring regional cuisine from various parts of the USA.

In my eyes, Friday’s has become the poster-child for uninventive, cookie-cutter décor and cuisine. It’s the epitome of where American chain-restaurants have led the world’s casual-dining restaurant industry.

And the Santiago restaurant in Bellavista adds insult to injury by bringing haphazard management, service and menu-execution to the mix.

Friday’s isn’t a bad restaurant. It’s just a horribly average restaurant. Good enough to rate a review, but barely.

You can get a better burger across the street at Ciudad Vieja or a block away at Uncle Fletch. Of course, if you have the urge to see teenagers and Gen-Z’rs wearing red-striped shirts with crazy pin-on buttons adorning every inch of the uniform, well, Fridays is your best choice.