Amici Partners Group Acquires Friendly's Restaurants

Group dedicated to reinvigorating 130-store restaurant chain

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Jan 19, 2021, 09:45 ET

PLANO, Texas, Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amici Partners Group, LLC ("Amici"), an entity comprised of experienced restaurant investors and operators who have been involved with some of the best-known QSR and casual dining chains for more than 25 years, has completed the acquisition of Friendly's Restaurants. Comprised of 130 corporate-owned and franchised restaurant locations, Friendly's has been a fixture on the East Coast for more than 80 years, and the Amici group plans to continue to keep all locations open, delighting guests and preserving thousands of restaurant-workers' jobs.

"The investors of Amici Partners Group, LLC have been involved with the Friendly's Restaurant brand in many capacities over the years, not only as owners/operators and leaders in the system, but also as longtime loyal customers of this iconic brand," said Craig Erlich, President and CEO of Amici Partners and its affiliated company BRIX Holdings, LLC, a multi-brand franchising company. "Based on our personal connection to the chain, strong investment capabilities, and seasoned management team, we believe we will be able to continue to reinvigorate this much-loved brand for both loyal patrons and new customers alike."

Friendly's Restaurants have delighted generations of guests by serving signature sandwiches, burgers and ice cream desserts. The new ownership will bring back many of Friendly's favorites while also focusing on menu innovation, including new ice cream flavors, reestablishing Friendly's as a family-friendly destination, and delivering an elevated guest experience, as well as enhancing Friendly's app for online ordering, take-out, delivery and a new loyalty program.

"Friendly's holds a special place in the hearts of its many loyal patrons, and we look forward to nurturing that legacy and creating new programs and menu items to meet the changing needs of our customers," added Erlich.

To learn more about Friendly's Restaurants, visit www.friendlysrestaurants.com.

About Amici Partners Group, LLC:
Amici Partners Group, LLC is an experienced investor group with a national and international franchisor background specializing in the restaurant industry. Amici acquired the assets of FIC Restaurants, Inc. and certain of its affiliates and is the current owner, operator and franchisor of over 130 Friendly's® restaurants. Amici is an entity affiliated with BRIX Holdings, which focuses on brands that are both attractive to the single-unit and multi-unit owner/operator franchisee and have the potential to grow into national and international award-winning chains. The current BRIX Holdings franchise portfolio includes Red Mango® Yogurt Café Smoothie & Juice Bar, Smoothie Factory® Juice Bar, RedBrick Pizza® Kitchen Café, Orange Leaf®, Humble Donut Co.® and Souper Salad® chains.

SOURCE Friendly's