JJ’s Grill & Chill honoring T.G.I. Friday’s gift cards

Those who purchased gift cards from T.G.I. Friday’s won’t necessarily have to drive to Fort Smith or Tulsa to redeem them, thanks to one local restaurant.

JJ’s Grill and Chill, a Northwest Arkansas-based restaurant announced on their website, and on their Facebook page this week that they would honor the now-closed restaurant’s gift cards, up to $50, with “no catch, and no fine print.”

T.G.I. Fridays closed on Monday, and posted a note on the door reading, “Restaurant Closed. We apologize for your inconvenience and appreciate your patronage. If you have a gift card, it is valid at any other location, or you may call the following number with questions. 1-800-374-3297 (Option 1).”

Jody Thornton, owner of JJ’s responded by posting the following message on JJ’s Grill & Chill’s Facebook page as well as on the restaurant’s website on Wednesday.

Again, another big restaurant chain has pulled stakes and left town leaving their customers with purchased gift cards no place to go. Here at JJ’s, we’re local and we’re here for you. Bring in your valid TGIF gift card from their closed NWA location and we’ll honor them with great food and drank up to $50!

“We just think it stinks that people have spent money on a gift card, and would have to drive to Tulsa or somewhere to redeem them,” said Jody Thornton, owner of JJ’s. “They just put a note on the door, and they expect people to deal with that.”

Thornton said that they’ll take a bit of a hit by honoring the T.G.I. Friday’s gift cards, but he is more concerned with the people who’ve purchased them as gifts that now feel like they have to go back to the drawing board.

“It’s Christmas time, and we just want to help the people in the area who we felt were kind of left high and dry,” Thornton said.

JJ’s Grill and Chill has locations in Rogers, and Fayetteville, and valid T.G.I. Friday’s gift cards will be honored in both locations.