Friendly’s is giving kids something parents and grown-ups will wish they’d had at that age. Rolling out systemwide on Sept. 16, the new kids’ experience pairs a redesigned menu with sealed packs of collectible trading cards, engaging activity sheets, and five familiar ice cream sundae characters with newfound personalities and a built-in fan base. Say hello to the Conehead Crew.
The Crew guides the program and pops up everywhere from the menu cover to the standees by the front door:
Conehead, the friendly and adventurous captain who welcomes everybody aboard
Vanilla ice cream with signature cone ‘hat’, whipped cream, Reese’s Pieces (contains peanuts).
Rock the Star, cool, confident and built for the spotlight
Forbidden Chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, cherry, and Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup, Reese’s Pieces (contains peanuts).
Puddles the Pig, sweet and playful
Strawberry ice cream with real banana, whipped topping and M&M’s®. (May contain peanuts).
Monster Mash, fun-loving with energy to burn
Mint chocolate chip ice cream with M&M’s® and Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup (contains peanuts).
Spot the Dog, loyal and lovable
Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream with hot fudge, cherry, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup, Reese’s® Pieces (contains peanuts).
Every kids’ meal now comes with a sealed Conehead Crew trading card pack featuring two surprise cards from the Character, Crew or Adventure collection, plus a bounceback coupon to use on a future visit. With 18 unique designs to discover, including rare and unique cards randomly tucked into select packs, kids can collect, trade and keep building their Conehead Crew with every visit. But it might take kiddos a minute to collect them all – with the premium and legendary cards being rather rare and more difficult to find.
Kids get a reimagined menu across breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each menu also contains mazes, word searches and landmark matching to work through while the magic happens in the kitchen. And the fun doesn’t stop there. Now through Oct. 13, kids eat for $5 with the purchase of an adult entrée. The back-to-school stretch brings one more reason to pull into the parking lot, with a Back-to-School Cheeseburger, fries and a Happy Ending Sundae for only $9.99.
The excitement continues on Oct. 1, when Crew standees turn dining rooms into photo stops and temporary tattoos send some joy home with every kid. October has plenty of surprises in store; families may want to keep an eye on the calendar as the weather cools.
“Most people can still describe the toy that came with a meal when they were seven, right down to the details,” said Erik Jenson, vice president of marketing for BRIX Holdings. “That kind of memory comes from acquiring something worth keeping and worth showing a friend at school the next morning. We built this program around that instinct, because a kid who walks out with an unfinished collection has already picked where the family is going back to next.”
It’s a season of smiles at Friendly’s. Whether stopping in for a quick bite or rounding out a family meal, Friendly’s makes it easy to enjoy the classics without stretching the budget. Guests can also make the most of the new offerings by joining the Friendly’s Fan Club rewards program, which provides exclusive offers, alongside specialty promotions and updates.
