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5 things to know about the $380M TGI Fridays/Allegro Merger5 things to know about the $380M TGI Fridays/Allegro Merger

TGIF Holdings LLC and Allegro Merger Corp. announced a merger Friday that takes the chain public

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

November 12, 2019

4 Min Read
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On Friday, Nov. 8, privately-held TGIF Holdings LLC and special purpose acquisition company Allegro Merger Corp. announced an agreement that would take the casual-dining chain public. TGI Fridays will receive $30 million in a combination of cash and stock, and New York-based Allegro will also assume $350 million of net debt from the struggling Dallas-based restaurant chain.

Before the deal, the majority owners of TGI Fridays were TriArtisan Capital Advisors LLC, and the company is expected to exchange a majority of its ownership in TGI Fridays for shares of Allegro.

Eric Rosenfeld, CEO of Allegro Merger Corp., and Raymond Blanchette, CEO of TGI Fridays, held an investors’ call shortly after the announcement of the merger. These are the top...

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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