The Popular Restaurant Chain That Tried To Make Bartending An Olympic Sport

Bartenders definitely deserve their flowers, but should they receive Olympic gold medals? In 2010, restaurant chain TGI Friday's thought so. It petitioned the International Olympic Committee to get bartending recognized as an official Olympic sport. In a press release, Trey Hall, former senior vice president and chief marketing officer of TGI Friday's, said, "What other sport requires ten-hour routines, absolute precision and a fully-memorized playbook? Bartending can be a whole new playing field for Olympic sport."

While this may come as a shock to some, it isn't that big of a surprise when you consider the chain's history. TGI Friday's started the World Bartender Championship in 1991 and played a key role in popularizing what's known as "flair bartending," which is a bit different from standard mixology. Flair bartenders put more emphasis on entertainment and showmanship, flipping bottles, pouring multiple drinks simultaneously, and spinning bar spoons (one of the bartending tools every beginner needs). So, it's not as though it requires zero athleticism. We can see the reasoning. Well, sort of. But did the Committee?

If you've seen any Olympic games since then, you probably know where this is headed. Bartending is, unfortunately, not a recognized Olympic sport. At the time of writing, the International Olympic Committee has remained silent on the matter. To make things worse, the World Bartending Championships seem to have fizzled out, at least on a large, international scale. The last update on its website is from 2018. There are also no pages on the website concerning its 2010 Olympic dreams.

TGI Friday's has had its fair share of struggles since trying to turn talented bartenders into Olympians. After a string of closures in the fall of 2024, the chain filed for bankruptcy protection that same year, citing financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic. To bounce back, part of its business strategy was to start using fresher ingredients in its cocktails and introduce two-ounce alcohol pours. However, it seems like its flair bartending is a thing of the past.