Struggling Friendly's Overhauls Kids Menu

PEABODY, MA — Friendly's launched a new children's menu this winter, which is aimed at revitalizing the struggling chain and was developed with the help of a focus group made up of kids between the ages of 8 and 12.

While the chain has always been kid-centric, Friendly's is trying to lean into that reputation with its new menu, according to National Restaurant news, which first reported this story. The new offerings include seasonal activity books, redesigned serving ware and new menu items, including fried dough pizza and double-stacked cheeseburger sliders.

Last year, Friendly's closed 23 stores in five states. The Massachusetts-based chain, founded in Wilbraham in 1935, filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Since then, it has shrunk its footprint to 174stores, down from a peak of more than 800 in 15 states in the late 1980s. Among the stores closed in 2019 was the last Rhode Island location Friendly's