PROVIDENCE – After a decade marked by bankruptcy and hundreds of store closures, Friendly’s Restaurants LLC is poised for a revival under new ownership, including the potential to reenter the Rhode Island market.
Amici Partners Group LLC, the Connecticut-based company that acquired the regional restaurant chain earlier this month, has committed to maintaining the same number of locations and staffing. The 130 restaurants, a mix of corporate-owned and franchise locations, does not include any in Rhode Island but there are three in southeastern Massachusetts.
In an interview with Providence Business News on Monday, Craig Erlich, CEO and president of Amici Partners, said that while the number of locations will not change, the company may look into relocating existing restaurants within their communities as leases expire in the next few years. He declined to comment specifically about whether a new location could open in Rhode Island but said anywhere in the New England region with “good brand recognition” was a possibility.
There are no immediate plans to lay off any of the 1,300 workers in the restaurant locations and corporate support centers, he said.
“Friendly’s has a deep soul to it and what better way than to continue that than with the folks who already know and can continue that soul,” he said.
As part of efforts to revive the long-struggling restaurant chain amid a still-surging virus, the new owners will focus on marketing and technology upgrades to boost carryout and curbside pickup, with plans to launch a new version of the online ordering application this year, Erlich said. Contactless payment, an offering added by many restaurant chains during the pandemic, has been tested but there are no immediate plans for it to be a permanent option, he said.
The company will also bring back a number of “fan favorite” menu items from years past, including several salads and hamburgers, while debuting two new ice cream flavors, one in the spring and one in the summer.
Looking ahead to 2022, Erlich said he hopes to grow the company by adding locations and employees.
The chain currently includes locations in Attleboro, Swansea and Fall River, according to its website. The purchase price was $9 million, although that does not include the cost of existing contracts and obligations, Erlich said.
Nancy Lavin is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
