The Most Popular Appetizers at TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays is well known for its extensive appetizer menu. From happy hour discounts to endless specials and deals, the chain knows what guests are looking for when it comes to appetizers.
TGI Fridays offers a variety of appetizers, ranging from classic bar foods like wings and dips to more unique items like pot stickers and egg rolls.
Whether you’re on a casual date night, going with a large group, or just want to order smaller plates instead of a full meal, there are plenty of appetizers on the TGI Fridays menu you can enjoy.
To help you narrow down your choices, here are the 16 best appetizers you should try at TGI Fridays.
16. Chips and Salsa
It’s chips and salsa. What more can I say?
Really though, TGI Fridays’ take on the classic combo isn’t horrendous or anything – it’s just a little boring.
Why order chips and salsa when there are 15 other appetizer offerings that are way more exciting?
In this appetizer’s defense, though, I’ll say this: the tortilla chips are served warm, which is a nice touch. The salsa is pretty mild but a little too watery for my liking.
But if you’re looking for a light, simple appetizer, the Chips and Salsa might be just what you need.
One order of Chips and Salsa contains 240 calories and 10g of fat.
15. Boneless Wings
Some say boneless wings are superior, and others say they are just glorified chicken nuggets.
Wherever you stand on the boneless vs. traditional wing debate, TGI Fridays’ appetizer menu has options to make everyone happy.
The Boneless Wings at TGI Fridays are popular – so popular that the chain even sells them frozen at grocery stores.
Despite their popularity, these wings aren’t anything to write home about.
They’re decently crispy, but the breading-to-chicken ratio is slightly off with too much breading.
You can order them in three different sizes: a small comes with 12 wings, a regular has 18, and a large comes with 24 wings.
Sauce options include Nashville Hot, Dragon-Glaze, Blaze It, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo, Whiskey Glaze, Apple Butter BBQ, Garlic Parmesan, and Foxx on the Roxx BBQ.
You can also choose between the ranch and blue cheese on the side – but we all know that the only correct choice is ranch!
A regular order of Boneless Wings with Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce contains 770 calories and 40g of fat.
14. Loaded Potato Skins
TGI Fridays wouldn’t be what it is today without their iconic Loaded Potato Skins.
In fact, the company claims it invented the beloved bar snack back in 1974.
Knowing this, it’s even more disappointing that the Loaded Potato Skins are just okay.
The bacon and cheese don’t add any richness or excitement to the dish.
The potato skins themselves aren’t too bad – they’re crispy on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, but that wasn’t enough to save them from the lackluster toppings.
If they revamp the recipe in the future or start using better-quality bacon and cheddar, it may one day be restored to its former glory.
Until then, I recommend passing on this TGI Fridays appetizer.
The Loaded Potato Skins contain 2120 calories and 92g of fat.
13. Warm Pretzels
If you’re a pretzel and beer cheese purist, it might be best to skip this one.
These pretzels taste more like breadsticks than soft pretzels and don’t have the same chew you’ve come to love and expect from the salty snack.
They are served warm and salted and come with a side of poblano queso for dipping.
The queso is the saving grace of the dish. It brings a tiny bit of heat and creaminess to an otherwise basic appetizer.
That being said, the Warm Pretzels aren’t bad at all, but there are so many better appetizers on the TGI Fridays menu.
The Warm Pretzels contain 1370 calories and 74g of fat.
12. Traditional Wings
Chicken wings are the ultimate bar food, and TGI Fridays keeps it simple and delicious with theirs.
The Traditional Wings are crispy and have a great chicken-to-breading ratio.
You can really taste the chicken in these, rather than a bunch of fried breading.
Some guests complain that the wings tend to be dry or on the smaller side, but this can happen at any restaurant.
Every wing is different, and you never know what you’re going to get, but for what it’s worth, I’ve always received decent-sized wings from TGI Fridays.
Like boneless wings, the traditional wings can be made with any of these sauces: Nashville Hot, Dragon-Glaze, Blaze It, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo, Whiskey Glaze, Apple Butter BBQ, Garlic Parmesan, and Foxx on the Roxx BBQ.
A small order comes with 8 wings, a medium comes with 12, and a large one comes with 16.
A medium order of Traditional Wings with Frank’s RedHot sauce contains 620 calories and 55g of fat.
11. Wings Roulette Platter
When you just can’t decide which of the TGI Fridays wing flavors you’re in the mood for, the Wings Roulette Platter is here to save the day.
This combo appetizer option allows you to pick any three sauces to try on your wings.
Plus, you can order all boneless wings, all traditional wings, or a mix of the two.
While I prefer TGI Fridays’ traditional wings to their boneless wings, not everyone agrees with me.
The Wing Roulette Platter is a fun way to find out which style and sauces you prefer.
Your order will come with celery and your choice of blue cheese or ranch.
The calories for this platter range from 1060 to 2520, depending on the style of wing and sauces you choose.
10. Classic Fridays Combo
Think of the Classic Fridays Combo as a sampler of the chain’s greatest hits.
It includes your choice of traditional or boneless wings (with your choice of sauce), four mozzarella sticks, and three loaded potato skins.
If you want to try a little bit of everything, the classic combo is the way to go.
All three appetizers featured in the combo are incredibly popular, so it’s sure to be a hit with a large table.
One serving of potato skins contains 850 calories, the mozzarella sticks contain 570 calories, and the wings range from 370 to 1090 calories.
9. Whiskey-Glaze Sesame Chicken Strips
Remember what I said about the boneless wings having a subpar breading-to-chicken ratio?
Good news: You don’t have to worry about that when ordering the Whiskey-Glaze Sesame Chicken Strips.
These chicken strips are crusted in panko breadcrumbs, tossed in a signature Whiskey-Glaze, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
If you love a sweet-smoky-spicy combo, you’ll love these chicken strips.
They’re not overly spicy but have just enough heat to keep things interesting.
The sesame seeds also add a fun textural component.
The Whiskey-Glaze Sesame Chicken Strips contain 810 calories and 22g of fat.
8. Whiskey-Glaze Sampler
If you’re a fan of TGI Fridays’ signature Whiskey-Glaze sauce, this is the appetizer for you.
The Whiskey-Glaze Sampler allows you to try chicken, shrimp, and ribs, all slathered in the restaurant’s sweet and smokey signature glaze.
The sampler comes with six pieces of crispy shrimp, whiskey-glazed sesame chicken strips, and six ribs.
With ingredients like molasses, whiskey, and cayenne, this unique glaze is a great addition to any meat, so getting to try all three at once is a real treat.
This sampler is perfect for sharing, especially for those who love a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce.
One Whiskey-Glaze Sampler contains 1590 calories and 61g of fat.
7. Green Bean Fries
This simple yet unique appetizer from TGI Fridays has inspired many copycat recipes.
The green beans are lightly breaded before being fried and served with a side of cucumber-wasabi ranch.
The cucumber-wasabi ranch is a fun and creative combination of flavors.
I’m not a big wasabi fan, but I still enjoyed the sauce.
The green beans are plain on their own, so the sauce is definitely needed to shake things up a little bit.
These crispy green beans might not appeal to everyone, but they’re an exciting option if you’re into green beans and are looking for a not-so-basic appetizer.
One order of Green Bean Fries contains 900 calories and 65g of fat.
6. Mozzarella Sticks
Ah, mozzarella sticks – one of the simplest yet most iconic bar foods of all time.
TGI Fridays doesn’t mess with a classic on this one.
They keep it simple with fried mozzarella and asiago, a sprinkling of Parmesan-Romano, and a side of marinara for dipping.
The breading on the mozzarella and asiago is seasoned well and fried until crispy and golden brown.
The breading isn’t too thick either, allowing the creamy mozzarella to shine through.
The addition of asiago brings in some nutty, richer notes that you can’t find in regular mozzarella sticks.
One Mozzarella Sticks order comes with 6 pieces and contains 840 calories and 52g of fat.
5. Spinach Artichoke Dip
The Spinach Artichoke Dip is a universally loved appetizer. After all, what’s not to love?
TGI Fridays’ version is just as delicious as a homemade dish. The base is gooey and warm, while the Parmesan breadcrumbs on top add a cheesy crunch.
This appetizer has a fair amount of spinach and artichoke, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth.
The dip also features sauteed onions and red bell peppers, making it more unique than the spinach artichoke dips you’ll find at other chains.
The chips are a surprisingly good vessel for the dip, adding the perfect amount of extra salt and crunch to each bite.
The Spinach Artichoke Dip contains 760 calories and 55g of fat.
4. Pan-Seared Pot Stickers
The Pan-Seared Pot Stickers may seem out of place on a menu full of casual bar food, but these little pockets of heaven shouldn’t be overlooked.
This TGI Fridays appetizer comes with six pot stickers, which are served with Szechwan dipping sauce.
The dumplings are filled with well-seasoned, juicy pork. The outside of the dumplings is beautifully crisped in some areas, with other areas maintaining that classic doughy feel of a pot sticker.
The Szechwan dipping sauce is sweet, sour, and just a little spicy.
One order of the Pot Stickers contains 590 calories and 25g of fat.
3. Whiskey-Glaze Sliders
These aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill sliders that you’re used to getting at a chain restaurant – they’re a whole lot more exciting.
Each slider contains a mini beef patty, roasted onions, pickles, spicy aioli, cheddar, and (of course) TGI Fridays’ signature Whiskey-Glaze.
If you love a BBQ burger, these sliders will be right up your alley. They’ve got all the makings of a classic comfort meal, all fit between two buttery mini buns.
The spicy aioli adds a kick to the burger, while the Whiskey-Glaze provides a little more heat and plenty of sweet and smoky notes.
Some guests say the burger can come out a bit overcooked, but that might just be a risk you’re willing to take.
From the caramelized onions to the tangy pickles, these sliders have plenty of flavors to make up for any overcooked meat.
The sliders come with a side of seasoned fries. Choose two, three, or four sliders, depending on how hungry you are and how many people are at your table.
Three Whiskey-Glaze Sliders with a side of fries contain 1120 calories and 68g of fat.
2. Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls
Everyone loves egg rolls and cheesesteaks. So by that logic, everyone should love TGI Fridays’ Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls, right?
I was initially skeptical about trying these but was pleasantly surprised and impressed by them.
The egg rolls are perfectly crisp and golden brown. Inside, you’ll find roast beef, grilled onions, bell peppers, and plenty of melted cheese.
If that’s not enough cheese for you, the egg rolls are served with a poblano queso sauce on the side.
TGI Fridays nailed it with this appetizer – they’re crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and taste like mini cheesesteaks.
The queso on the side has just the tiniest hint of spice, adding a fun and unexpected element to otherwise classic flavors.
Each order comes with five egg rolls and contains 1070 calories and 61g of fat.
1. Loaded Southwest Potato Twists
Finally, we’ve arrived at the best TGI Fridays appetizer on the list – The Loaded Southwest Potato Twists.
This dish is a hybrid between nachos and a loaded baked potato, so we’re already off to a phenomenal start.
It starts with spiral-cut seasoned fried potatoes, which are crispy on the outside but have just enough bend to them, so they’re not straight-up potato chips.
The potatoes are topped with shredded cheese, melty poblano queso, fresh pico de gallo, and chopped cilantro.
While I normally wouldn’t associate a fried appetizer with the word “fresh,” the Loaded Southwest Potato Twists have a fresh feeling to them, thanks to the housemade pico de gallo and cilantro.
The fresh veggies are contrasted by the creamy, rich poblano sauce, which has just the right amount of heat.
You can opt to add ranch sour cream, regular ranch, and bacon bits. I recommend adding the ranch sour cream for a little extra tang.
The Loaded Southwest Potato Twists contain 1730 calories and 104g of fat.
Conclusion
TGI Fridays offers a wide variety of appetizers ranging from classic bar foods to signature creations.
While each appetizer on the menu has its selling points, I recommend trying the Loaded Southwest Potato Twists and the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls on your next visit.
TGI Fridays tends to switch up its appetizer menu every so often, so be sure to check your favorite location’s online menu before visiting.
And don’t forget to try some of their limited-edition and seasonal appetizers when available.
For more information about TGI Fridays, check out the articles below.
