Friday's tests back-office systemFriday's tests back-office system

DALLAS T.G.I. Friday's, based here, will test at 10 units the MenuLink.NET software of Radiant Systems Inc. as a possible precursor to the replacement of a proprietary back-office-system at more than 300 domestic, company-run restaurants, the vendor said.

Representatives of Alpharetta, Ga.–based Radiant said the company signed an agreement to implement the pilot test with Friday's parent, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc. The representatives said MenuLink.NET leverages Microsoft Corp.'s .NET framework and will provide T.G.I. Friday's restaurant managers and other system users access to a centrally hosted application and database via a standard web browser and Internet connection.

Don Vietti is Carlson's chief information officer. Compared with maintaining a "homegrown" back-office system, he said, MenuLink.NET "is expected to provide us with the capabilities our restaurants need around labor, inventory and financial management while enabling us to devote more energy and resources to other strategic areas of the business."