Friendly's Franchisee Continues Bankruptcy Filings

The franchisee for Friendly’s in New York, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to a company statement.

J & B Restaurant Partners of Long Island II, LLC and its investors, which own 37 Friendly’s, announced the bankruptcy filing on Tuesday. News of the bankruptcy came one day after the company acknowledged it had closed restaurants on Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The bankruptcy filing is part of a pre-negotiated and comprehensive restructuring plan.

Its affiliate, J & B Restaurant Partners of NY, closed the Friendly’s restaurants in Yorktown and Mount Kisco in September. It had filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011.

This filing does not affect any of the 134 Friendly’s company-owned restaurants or the additional 134 Friendly’s restaurants operated by other franchisees.

The company still operates 18 Friendly’s on Long Island, with additional sites in New Jersey.

The company’s only open location nearby is in Carmel.

Friendly’s restaurants have been closing across the country since the corporation filed for bankruptcy three years ago, much to the sorrow of loyal customers.