IN just a couple of days, customers will be losing an ice cream restaurant.
At one point, Friendly’s, known for its ice cream offerings, was one of the most popular casual diners out there.
1
About three decades ago, the Wilbraham, Massachusetts-based company had 850 locations.
However, that number has continued to dwindle, as yet another location will close this time in Johnson City, New York.
The last day is set for Sunday, September 24th, and will mark the ending of Friendly’s in the Greater Binghamton area, according to a report from ABC affiliate WIVT-TV.
And customers shared their memories of the store in Google reviews.
READ MORE ON FAN REACTIONS
"As a child, the family ate in for ice cream sundaes and took out dinner specials," one said.
"Also took a quart of ice cream home. It was a family restaurant ..a great place. There were a number of them in my hometown area in those days. After school (high school), a group of kids would get together and head for Friendly....good memories."
"Shame this site is closing, the staff is great and the food is always what you expect from a Friendly's," another wrote.
A third said: "I absolutely love eating at the JC Friendly's and was extremely sad to find out today that they are permanently closing their doors next week."
Most read in Money
FINANCIAL STRUGGLES
Since 2019, Friendly's has reportedly closed at least 55 restaurants.
Friendly's has actually been struggling financially for more than a decade now.
It first filed for bankruptcy in 2011, attributing it to increased costs and the economic slowdown caused by the 2008 recession.
And the pandemic made things worse for Friendly's, as it filed for bankruptcy again in 2020.
Friendly's only now has more than 100 restaurants remaining in the U.S.
MORE CLOSURES
But Friendly's isn't the only one that has been closing restaurants.
Rita's will be shutting down a shop on Monday.
"We tried our best to hang in there but it's just not enough. We will sourly miss the love and support we got from this Community and encourage all of our fans to stop in one last time to say goodbye," its location in Coral Springs, Florida said.
And TGI Fridays has been closing locations as well.
This includes its last Idaho location.
Chief executive officer at the time, Ray Blanchette, warned in a Bloomberg interview in 2020 that 20 percent of its 386 restaurants would likely be forced to close.
Fatz Cafe, known for its presence in the southeast, has shut down all of its remaining restaurants.
“We are sorry to announce that after proudly serving this and many other communities for years Fatz Cafe will be closed permanently,” the former casual diner told customers in a note.
“All existing locations closed effective 8/23/2023. We thank you for your support throughout our years in business.”
Fatz previously operated nearly 20 locations in states including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Read More on The US Sun
For more related stories, a popular discount chain will close in just days.
And here are three retailers that have filed for bankruptcy this year.
