TGI Fridays In The UK Are Testing 'Mistletoe Drones'

TGI Fridays has announced plans to release mistletoe-carrying drones in its UK locations.

The company plans to fly the drones carrying small bundles of mistletoe in the hopes that "people get a little closer at this romantic time of the year," TGI Fridays spokeswoman Rachel Waller told the Manchester Evening News.

The drones will hover around couples eating at the restaurant chain and encourage them to partake in a little PDA.

The drones will also come equipped with a "kiss cam" to film a bird's-eye view of the very special moments.

Pretty awkward.

The drones are a part of a so-called #togethermas marketing stunt. According to the promotional video, nearly half of the British population have never kissed under mistletoe, and the restaurant chain wants to give its customers the "encouragement they need to make their move," Waller told Manchester Evening News.

The stunt seems like an obvious ploy to lure back customers to the casual dining chain. It's reminiscent of Olive Garden's stunt earlier this year to give parents a "free date night" to drive up their sales.

In September, TGI Fridays said it would sell most of its company-owned restaurants to franchisees. Like many other casual dining restaurants, the company has struggled to bring in customers, and is working to reverse that trend by remodeling its restaurants and revamping its menu.

Casual dining restaurants have been hurting since customers are worried about cash and holding back from eating out. In the US, the average American only goes out to dinner 74 times a year - the lowest amount in three decades.

The mistletoe drone project is being piloted at the Manchester TGI Fridays location, and will be introduced in locations across the UK soon.

Watch the full video below.