---
title: "Friendly’s Becomes Latest Legacy Chain to Downgrade, Cutting 23 Locations"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/26d955f2-342d-41bf-af53-65c2c9cb6305
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/friendlys-becomes-latest-legacy-chain-to-downgrade-cutting-23-locations-2709677
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
published: 2019-04-10T22:17:33.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:34:29.468Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/0180fdca54223f6a683c0bb780affcfe1454.jpg
---

# Friendly’s Becomes Latest Legacy Chain to Downgrade, Cutting 23 Locations

**TL;DR:** Friendly's has closed 23 corporate-owned restaurants to refocus resources and overhaul its brand. The legacy chain is planning to update its menu and interiors, and explore delivery and catering options.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-04-10. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/friendlys-becomes-latest-legacy-chain-to-downgrade-cutting-23-locations-2709677).*

## Story

Friendly’s has closed 23 corporate-owned restaurants in an effort to refocus resources and overhaul the brand for today’s consumer, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. The closures include 14 units in New York, three in Massachusetts, three in Connecticut, two in New Hampshire and one in Maine.

Eleven years ago, Friendly’s boasted 505 locations; now, with around half of the remaining 174 units franchised, Friendly’s is working to address shifting preferences and demographics, as well as increased competition and operating costs. The legacy brand is planning to dip its toes in delivery and catering while brightening up restaurant interiors and updating its menu with “new and innovative food and ice cream offerings.”

Nation’s Restaurant News points out that other long-standing casual- and family-dining chains, such as Marie Callender’s and Ruby Tuesday, have been struggling to stay relevant in recent years while independent competitors and fast-casual chains have dominated the market for next-generation diners.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- Nation's Restaurant News (publication)
- Friendly's (company)
- Ruby Tuesday (company)
- market competition (topic)
- unit closure (topic)
- brand overhaul (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/friendlys-becomes-latest-legacy-chain-to-downgrade-cutting-23-locations-2709677). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/26d955f2-342d-41bf-af53-65c2c9cb6305).