No More Friendlys?

[x635 4,066]

Receiving reports that numerous Friendly's across the area, including Mt. Kisco and Yorktown Heights, have permanently closed.

Can anyone confirm?

If it is, it's a sad day for nostalgia and for places that you can have onion rings and a Fribble as a meal. I wish Friendly's did more to keep themselves relevant and competitve, especially now when they're up against chains such as Applebee's.

10 Reasons Friendly's Is The Best Chain Restaurant In The Country

[SECTMB 612]

There are now half as many Friendly's from their high of around 600. Competition from the newer, trendy restaurants has hurt them. I still think they are one of the more consistently good places out there.

[Bnechis 3,961]

They were dead in my eyes when they closed the New Rochelle one 20 years ago. The manager their claim at the time it was one of the best grossing ones in the chain.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Maybe they thought it was better to close now rather than wait for the minimum wage hike to kill them?

[wedgeclose 59]

As much as I like friendly's for some things...THEIR SERVICE KILLED THEM! THE SLOWEST SERVERS IN THE INDUSTRY...JUST LIKE HOWARD JOHNSONS USED TO BE......

[eric12401 77]

The one in Kingston (Ulster Co.) closed abruptly the other day with patrons still inside

[x635 4,066]

The Friendly's on Route 52 in the Village Of Fishkill was DOA. Had to get some photos of the remains before somebody takes ahold of this valuable piece of real estate and demolishes it.

If you think about it, Friendly's had some prime locations, largely due to the duration they were in the communities for. You can't get that type of property with that kind of positioning for a restaurant anymore. Yorktown Heights and Mount Kisco are a perfect example. I wonder if that was factored in.

Barry, I hope I am wrong but was that Friendly's in the shopping center near North Avenue and Quaker Ridge Rd? If so, I remember eating there as a kid sometimes.

Where in the area have a (now closed) Friendly's location, and what areas used to that were closed down years ago? I know there used to be one in the Jefferson Valley Mall. Is there still one in Hartsdale, or did that one close? I can't remember for some reason.

[islander 27]

I just took a ride by the Yorktown Friendly's and it's dark, no sign on the doors or anything though. I would've taken a picture but there are a bunch of people hanging around the ice cream window, and I can't figure out if its a odd memorial, employees that didn't get the memo, or the zombie apocalypse has begun and the walking dead like fribbles and very slow service.

Edited September 10, 2014 by islander

[GAW6 66]

I was the bookkeeper at the Thornwood Friendly's for 12 years. For me, it was a great job while I was raising kids because I was able to make my own hours for the most part. It closed a few years after I stopped working there. Like the New Rochelle store, it also was one of the highest grossing locations. Yes, Friendly's was always famous for their slow service. Unfortunately, as they say in life, you get what you pay for. The pay sucked there. The only ones making decent money were the waitresses. Corporate put a lot of pressure on the Managers to "make money", therefore they were always cutting staff and were unable to pay good people what they deserved.

It really is a shame to see them all close. I can tell you first-hand, the food was always fresh, and their ice cream was always one of the best. Sad....

[redtruck75 24]

The one in Yonkers on Tuckahoe Road is closed also.

[x635 4,066]

I just called Carmel on Route 6 opposite Hannaford Supermarket....THEY ARE OPEN!

[cazyman31 2]

Mt Kisco's is still open

[gizmo31 1]

I drove by the one on Central Ave in Hartsdale tonight around 8:45 and it was totally dark so I would think that they too might have closed their doors :-( :-( !!!! So goes another fast food chain the sign of the times...

[bad box 371]

I was the bookkeeper at the Thornwood Friendly's for 12 years. For me, it was a great job while I was raising kids because I was able to make my own hours for the most part. It closed a few years after I stopped working there. Like the New Rochelle store, it also was one of the highest grossing locations. Yes, Friendly's was always famous for their slow service. Unfortunately, as they say in life, you get what you pay for. The pay sucked there. The only ones making decent money were the waitresses. Corporate put a lot of pressure on the Managers to "make money", therefore they were always cutting staff and were unable to pay good people what they deserved.

It really is a shame to see them all close. I can tell you first-hand, the food was always fresh, and their ice cream was always one of the best. Sad....

I was the bookkeeper at the Thornwood Friendly's for 12 years. For me, it was a great job while I was raising kids because I was able to make my own hours for the most part. It closed a few years after I stopped working there. Like the New Rochelle store, it also was one of the highest grossing locations. Yes, Friendly's was always famous for their slow service. Unfortunately, as they say in life, you get what you pay for. The pay sucked there. The only ones making decent money were the waitresses. Corporate put a lot of pressure on the Managers to "make money", therefore they were always cutting staff and were unable to pay good people what they deserved.

It really is a shame to see them all close. I can tell you first-hand, the food was always fresh, and their ice cream was always one of the best. Sad....

The corporate executives were squeezing every last penny out of the operation. Corporate exec's don't share well with the folks who do the actual work, listen to the childish whimpering whenever mega rich folks hear calls for an increase in the minimum wage.

[x635 4,066]

I was able to CONFIRM, at least for tonight, that the Friendly's in Carmel (across from Hannaford Supermarket, across from Wendys on Route 6 C/S Stoneleigh Ave) is STILL OPEN!

Besides the Fribble, this is what I will miss most about having a Friendlys nearby and I hope Carmel will stay open so I can continue to enjoy it....what is your favorite Friendly's meal?

Friendly's Turkey Club Super Melt Sandwich

Crisp bacon and melted American cheese layered over warm turkey breast with tomato and Thousand Island dressing on grilled sourdough bread

[aviator70 16]

Ones in Orange County open, maybe a franchise location went under.

[GAW6 66]

Ones in Orange County open, maybe a franchise location went under.

They are not franchises; they are run by a corporation. There is are Regional Managers, Area Managers, and General Managers.

[GAW6 66]

Ones in Orange County open, maybe a franchise location went under.

They are not franchises; they are run by a corporation out of Massachusetts. There are Regional Managers, Area Managers, and the General Manager is the one in charge of each store.

[spike2231 38]

i was i the carmel store the other night it was empty that may be because its been so nice outside still BBQ time

[DR104 141]

I was able to CONFIRM, at least for tonight, that the Friendly's in Carmel (across from Hannaford Supermarket, across from Wendys on Route 6 C/S Stoneleigh Ave) is STILL OPEN!

Besides the Fribble, this is what I will miss most about having a Friendlys nearby and I hope Carmel will stay open so I can continue to enjoy it....what is your favorite Friendly's meal?

Friendly's Turkey Club Super Melt Sandwich

Crisp bacon and melted American cheese layered over warm turkey breast with tomato and Thousand Island dressing on grilled sourdough bread

supermelt.png

firb.png

My favorite Friendly's meal is the Reese's pieces sundae. What that's not a meal!! LOL

[gamewell45 258]

As much as I like friendly's for some things...THEIR SERVICE KILLED THEM! THE SLOWEST SERVERS IN THE INDUSTRY...JUST LIKE HOWARD JOHNSONS USED TO BE......

There service is pretty slow; of course you get what you pay for. Their servers make next to nothing which=lousy service.

[aviator70 16]

They are not franchises; they are run by a corporation. There is are Regional Managers, Area Managers, and General Managers.

According to Lohud, the ones that closed were owned by a particular franchise. They are the only ones affected. J&B Restaurant Partners was the franchise for Rockland and Westchester Friendly's and have shut down all of the locations they own.

[amr6334 16]

I also remember the one in Poughkeepsie on Route 9 (Town of Poughkeepsie). I remember the Harbor Freight was there and there was an IHOP there as well. Cant remember if it was there last time I was out there but great food and great service.