Not many restaurant chains can boast surviving more than 90 years. Over such a long run, a brand must weather everything from economic recessions to shifting consumer tastes.

Friendly’s is one of the few that has endured — operating for 91 years and surviving two bankruptcies. At its peak in the late 1980s and 1990s, the chain spanned 850 locations, according to Restaurant Magazine. Friendly’s has served generations of families, and news of the chain’s planned comeback has delighted longtime fans.

And while Friendly’s just rolled out its “Snow Days” winter menu, the seasonal burgers, melts, and deals are only part of the story. The other key announcement is the return of a beloved dessert discontinued five years ago.

After 5 years Jubilee returns to Friendly’s restaurants, but as a cake, not a roll

Friendly’s recently announced a new “Snow Days” winter menu, which includes a reboot of its iconic Jubilee ice cream treat just in time for the holidays, reported Nation’s Restaurant News. 

While the beloved flavor profile quietly reappeared as a frozen grocery store option in 2024, it is now available directly through Friendly’s restaurant locations for takeout, delivery, and holiday celebrations. 

This marks the first time since its discontinuation that the classic combination of layered chocolate and chocolate chip ice cream with fudge, almonds, and a pink frosted border has been a major restaurant highlight.

Friendly’s called the Jubilee ice cream cake “a yummy blast from the past.” 

Why was Friendly’s Jubilee Roll discontinued? 

Friendly’s discontinued its entire line of ice cream rolls in 2021, citing a decline in customer demand, according to NewEngland. Fans were devastated by the sudden loss, flooding comment boards and social media to mourn the end of a decades-long holiday family tradition.

The sudden exit broke decades of holiday rituals, with one heartbroken customer calling it the “sad end to an era and tradition,” while many pleaded for its return. 

“This may be disappointing news to some of our ice cream fans, but we at Friendly’s are excited to focus on optimizing our broad portfolio of ice cream cartons, novelties, and cakes to best meet the needs of our customers for every occasion or celebration big or small,” said Kim O’Brien, media relations representative for Friendly’s, in 2021, according to WWLP 22 News.

After five years, Jubilee returns to Friendly’s restaurants, but as a cake, not a roll.

Boston Globe / Getty Images

Fans said Jubilee Cakes in grocery store freezers aren’t the same as the Roll

When the recipe returned to grocery store freezers in 2024 as a round ice cream cake, reactions were decidedly mixed. While pleased to taste the familiar flavors, some consumers recently complained on Reddit’s r/forgottenfoods that the round format “doesn’t hit the same as the original” cylindrical roll.

Now, the dessert has officially made its way back to Friendly’s restaurant lineup. 

The new version swaps the old cylindrical log for a round cake mold, but it preserves the nostalgic flavor blend fans remember.

Rather than being plated by the slice in diner booths, Friendly’s is offering the whole frozen 26-ounce cake in restaurant lobby freezers and on digital takeout menus, giving holiday hosts a reliable alternative to hunting down supermarket stock.

Friendly’s Snow Days menu highlights 

Nostalgia can be a powerful asset for brands bringing back treats, according to Purvi Shah, associate professor of marketing at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

Shah found that nostalgia and emotional attachment can motivate consumers to campaign for the return of beloved products. Her research on Coca-Cola’s discontinued Surge soda illustrates how reconnecting with a product from the past can mobilize loyal fans and create renewed demand.

While the return of a beloved treat such as Jubilee Cake might bring back longtime customers, Friendly’s is not stopping there in its effort to win over customers after previous struggles. 

Beyond the Jubilee Cake, the new “Snow Days” menu brings several comfort foods to the table. According to Friendly’s official “Snow Days” menu, the lineup features:

  • Snowfall Burger ($16.99): A beef patty with bacon, white American cheese, and Alfredo sauce on a Parmesan pretzel bun, served with fries.
  • Fireside Melt ($15.49): Grilled chicken, bacon, tomato, garlic aioli, cheddar, and American cheese on toasted sourdough, served with fries.
  • Harvest Stack ($16.99): A Thanksgiving-inspired open sandwich layering turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and gravy over sourdough.
  • Snowball Fight Sundae: Vanilla ice cream paired with powdered doughnut holes, hot fudge, mini marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles.
  • Peppermint Stick Fribble: A peppermint ice cream shake drizzled with hot fudge and topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

“Friendly’s has always been about making a meal feel like more than just a meal, and Snow Days gives people plenty of ways to have fun,” said Erik Jensen, vice president of marketing for BRIX Holdings, according to FSR magazine. 

Friendly’s previous struggles, bankruptcies, and store closures

The return of nostalgic favorites comes after a long period of financial hardship for the beloved family restaurant chain.

Friendly’s has survived significant turmoil, including filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011 and again in 2020 amid the Covid pandemic, according to previous reporting by TheStreet. 

During its peak, the brand boasted roughly 850 locations, but widespread closures severely shrank its footprint as the company scrambled to cut costs and pay off massive debt. In late 2020, the brand was eventually sold to Amici Partners Group (affiliated with Brix Holdings) for just under $2 million.

Friendly’s has “a lot of life,” according to expert 

Today, Friendly’s is fighting to reclaim its place in the family dining market by leaning into nostalgia while updating its restaurant experience. 

According to Restaurant Dive, Brix Holdings CEO Sherif Mityas believes the brand is ready for a revival through modernized menus and store renovations. 

“We took the best parts of the menu in terms of the nostalgic items that everyone expects to be on a Friendly’s menu, and we added relevancy,” Mityas noted, speaking of the chain’s turnaround strategy in 2024.

More recently, Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, told Fox News Digital that while some Friendly’s restaurants were seen as old and failing to keep up with modern demands, the brand still has “positive DNA” and “a lot of life left.” 

“It has a legacy that could be built on and could serve to bring people in, especially on this trend of nostalgia, which can be a plus in restaurants,” she said. “But it also has to keep up with changing times and changing tastes.”

Related: Salad and Go makes comeback after closing all locations