Friendly’s Express Restaurant to Open in Brookline, Mass. April 28

WILBRAHAM, MASS.; April 22, 2010 – Friendly’s Express, a unit of Friendly’s new fast-casual concept, will open at 289 Harvard Street in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline, Mass. on April 28, 2010.

Friendly’s Express offers a fast, fun way for people on-the-go to get the food they crave, whether eating in or taking food to-go. The restaurant features a limited menu of Friendly’s favorites – like SuperMelt™ Sandwiches, Big Beef® Burgers, salads, Fribbles® and kids’ meals – as well as new additions like the Southwestern Chicken Wrap and the Apple Walnut Chicken Salad – and, of course, Friendly’s signature ice cream desserts. Friendly’s Express is designed for both eat-in and take-out dining, with new packaging to make meals conveniently portable.

Friendly’s selected Brookline for its second Express location because of the great foot traffic, strong commercial and residential base, and proximity to public transportation.

“Coolidge Corner is a dynamic urban environment,” said Jim Sullivan, Friendly’s vice president of development and franchising. “Friendly’s Express will provide area workers, local residents and visitors with a great breakfast sandwich and cup of coffee to take on the train, or a fresh salad that can be brought back to work, along with our signature ice cream treats to enjoy throughout the day. We look forward to serving this vibrant community.”

The short service time (an average of six to eight minutes from ordering to service) makes Friendly’s Express perfect for quick but satisfying office lunch breaks, convenient for before-work breakfasts, and easy for moms out running errands with their children. While guests will place orders at the counter, food will be delivered to each customer’s table. When guests are ready for ice cream, they can place a numbered tag on the edge of their table and a food runner will bring them their desserts.

The bright, cheery Friendly’s Express design incorporates the signature Friendly’s red elements throughout, along with bright tiles and custom pop-art of Friendly’s ice cream creations.

Friendly’s Express in Brookline will be open from 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M., seven days a week, serving breakfast from 7:00 to 10:30 A.M. Monday to Friday, and 7:00 to 11:00 A.M. Saturdays and Sundays.

About Friendly Ice Cream Corporation
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is a vertically integrated restaurant company serving signature sandwiches, entrees and ice cream desserts in a friendly, family environment in more than 500 company and franchised restaurants throughout the Northeast. The company also manufactures ice cream, which is distributed through more than 4,000 supermarkets and other retail locations. With a 75-year operating history, Friendly’s enjoys strong brand recognition and is currently revitalizing its restaurants and introducing new products to grow its customer base. For additional information please visit www.friendlys.com.