TGI Friday’s Hit With Another Overpriced Drinks Class Action

Another class action lawsuit was filed against the restaurant chain TGI Friday’s Inc. alleging that it charges too much for soda, beer, cocktails and other drinks and it doesn’t put the prices for these beverages on the menu.

Plaintiff Michael Grace is asking the New Jersey Federal Court that the class action lawsuit originally filed in the Burlington County Superior Court on Oct. 6 be moved to the federal court, according to court documents filed on Nov. 20.

Grace’s class action lawsuit against TGI Friday’s and its parent companies, Sentinel Capital Partners LLC and Tri-Artisan Capital Partners, makes a total of three class action lawsuits filed against the restaurant chain with similar allegations.

The first was filed in 2010 before TGI Friday’s was bought by Sentinel and Tri-Artisan and was owned by Carlson Restaurants Worldwide LLC. The second TGI Friday’s class action lawsuit was filed in September against the South Jersey Pubs franchisee.
All three TGI Friday’s class action lawsuits are represented by the same law firm.

According to Grace’s undisclosed beverage prices class action lawsuit, the missing beverage prices puts customers in the position of having to ask the serves for the prices and leads customers to making impulse decisions.

As a result, TGI Friday’s is able to charge excessive or even different prices for the same beverage based on where the customer is located, whether at the bar or in the dining room, Grace alleges in his TGI Friday’s overpriced beverages class action lawsuit.

“Defendant charged more than objectively reasonable prices for its beverages and set those prices in bad faith,” the class action lawsuit states.

“[TGI Friday’s] prices reflect the reality that consumers that are fully informed with price information will trade down and save money whereas customers without price information will make purchases based on presumptions of reasonableness,” it adds.

According to the class action lawsuit, Grace ordered a mixed drink at a TGI Friday’s in Evesham, New Jersey on Sept. 30 that he allegedly paid $10.39 for, which he claims is not a reasonable price for the beverage.

Grace wants to represent a class action lawsuit of TGI Friday’s customers from the Garden State, who bought these alleged overprice beverages at one of the 34 restaurant locations in New Jersey.

The New Jersey man argues in his “Notice of Removal” that the federal court is the more appropriate court for the class action lawsuit because the damages exceed $5 million.

“The proposed class alleged by plaintiff encompasses hundreds of patrons” and “all customers who purchased a beer, soda or mixed drink since July 2014 is entitled to, at a minimum, $100 civil penalty under the New Jersey Truth in Consumer Contract Warranty and Notice Act.”

According to Sentinel and Tri-Artisan, the allegations in the TGI Friday’s class action lawsuit are without merit.

Grace is represented by Wesley Hanna of The Law Office of Sander D. Friedman.

The defendants are represented by Matthew S. Schultz of LeClairRyan.

The TGI Friday’s Overpriced Beverages Class Action Lawsuit is Grace v. TGI Friday’s Inc. et al., Case No. 1:14-cv-07233, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

UPDATE: On Mar. 14, 2016, a federal judge granted TGI Friday’s motion to dismiss the case. However, the judge left it open for the plaintiff to refile the claim as long as he notifies the companies properly.