Friendly's Makes Surprising Comeback With Affordable Revamped Menu and New Locations

For Americans seeking an easy and budget-friendly dining option , chain restaurants are often a convenient solution — especially with rising grocery costs and inflation. But not all chains are created equal, and some stand out as clear favorites, thanks to diverse menus, good service, and overall convenience.

Among these popular chains is Friendly’s, a family burger and ice cream chain that has navigated its share of challenges over the years, including mass closures, declining sales, and multiple bankruptcies. Despite these hurdles,

Friendly’s is returning strong in 2024, thanks to new store openings, revamped menus, and a fresh approach to its restaurant design.

Sherif Mityas, CEO of Friendly’s parent company, Brix Holdings, shared the company's strategic plan to regain relevance. The company is adding unique offerings like a Cheese Skirt Burger and a Fries 'n' Ice Cream Dipper sundae and remodeling its locations to emphasize a more engaging dining experience.

While Friendly’s is still closing some locations this year, the chain is gearing up for growth in 2025, aiming to recapture diners' hearts across the East Coast.

As some of America’s favorite chain restaurants struggled, Friendly’s is an important reminder that even legacy brands can reinvent themselves and thrive in a competitive market. Read on for a few more of America’s favorite chain restaurants.

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Friendly's

Friendly's, a beloved family burger and ice cream chain, has faced numerous challenges, including store closures and multiple bankruptcies.

In 2024, the nearly 90-year-old brand is on the road to recovery, driven by a revamped menu, with items like the Doritos Cool Ranch Chopped Cheese Burger ($14.49) and modernized restaurant designs. With plans to open new stores and attract a new generation of customers, Friendly's is proving that it's never too late for a comeback.

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Smoothie King

You may be surprised that a chain restaurant with only one main menu item made it into the top 10 of America’s favorite chain restaurants.

But while Smoothie King is mainly just smoothies, the restaurant chain gives customers plenty of options for a quick smoothie that’s also delicious, which is why its highest rankings were in service and convenience.

The Capital Grille

On the other end of the spectrum is The Capital Grille and a menu that features lobster bisque, a selection of steaks, and fries tossed in parmesan cheese and white truffle oil.

The restaurant chain got its highest score for service and hospitality. It has 66 locations across the U.S.

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Another smoothie shop made the top 10. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has more than 1,000 locations in the U.S.

But unlike Smoothie King, this chain has food so customers can choose from smoothies as well as sandwiches and wraps. More than 60% of respondents ranked it high for its food and beverage selection.

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk calls itself a winery and restaurant, so expect a wide selection of wines to choose from including spiced wines and sangria.

But the restaurant really earned its high ranking with 67.2% of respondents saying the restaurant chain excelled in service and hospitality.

Longhorn Steakhouse

Longhorn Steakhouse is a great option if you like steak, but its menu selection also includes plenty of other options like salmon, burgers, and baby back ribs.

Technomic’s survey found that customers enjoyed the menu items as well as the service and hospitality when sitting down at the restaurant or ordering for pick-up.

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Bahama Breeze

Bahama Breeze has unique dinner options like coconut shrimp tacos or jerk chicken in a pineapple bowl, along with plenty of fruity cocktails that are sure to make customers feel like they’re on a beach in the Bahamas.

That may be one reason the restaurant chain picked up the highest score for food and beverage among the top 10 favorite chain restaurants with a whopping 85.2% of respondents giving it a high score.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar only has 64 locations in the U.S., but they have made an impression on customers.

The restaurant chain had 68% of respondents give it high marks for service and hospitality along with a good score for the appearance and ambiance of its locations.

Dutch Bros

Dutch Bros may have a wide selection of unique drinks at its locations, especially coffee drinks, but that’s not the thing that customers notice the most.

Instead, the chain shined with its service and hospitality with a high score of 75.4% from survey respondents. That mark was the second-highest service and hospitality score in the top 10 restaurants in the survey.

Seasons 52

Seasons 52 has a wide selection of food for the whole family on its menu including kids’ items, but that’s not what customers paid attention to the most.

The restaurant chain got its best score for service and hospitality with 70.3% of respondents giving it a good score for its treatment of customers.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Go to Ruth’s Chris Steak House for delicious steaks, seafood options, and desserts, but stay for other things that make this restaurant chain great.

The chain received the highest score for service and hospitality as well as appearance and ambiance. It also received the second-highest score for its food and beverages, behind only Bahama Breeze.

Bottom line

Chain restaurants can be a good escape from cooking dinner at home every night, but dining out regularly can cost you a lot of money.

Some chain restaurants may have loyalty programs that can save you money with special deals or by earning perks depending on how often you dine there. Check your favorite local chains to see what kind of programs they may offer to help you keep more cash in your wallet .

Money tips that can work for everyone

No matter what your bank account balance is, there's always an opportunity to optimize and improve your finances. Here's a quick checklist of things you can look at today.

Focus on paying off your debt . Debt can hold you back from making progress with your overall financial well-being. Aside from cutting expenses, there are tools that can help you pay off debt faster like balance transfer credit cards and debt counseling.

Earning extra income can give you breathing room. If finances are tight, earning some extra money to supplement your income can make a huge difference. A new job is one option to consider, but if you're not ready to make a big change or already retired, a part-time side job could be a better choice.

Cut your expenses. It sounds painful and so not fun, but it doesn't have to be. Take a look at your biggest expenses because that's where you'll probably find the biggest savings. For example, auto insurance rates have been soaring so shopping around for a new insurance company can be the fastest way to cut your bill. Also, look for ways to cut your grocery bill (despite rising inflation).