Friendly's — Restaurant in Marlborough

It seemed more like a small sample of what Friendly's was. Or an off brand version of Friendly's. Like the "Great Value" of Friendly's. The portion sizes were definitely small and not prepared the right way. I used to be a subcontractor for Friendly's in the early 2000s. I've been to just about every Friendly's in the north east. The portion sizes were all the same. This place is definitely a prime example of the Biden/Harris shrinkflation. The Ice Cream sizes were good, but the prices were a bit steep. Food taste was not bad, but it just wasn't that Friendly's taste either. My daughter ordered the Turkey Club Super MELT, and they never even heated the sandwich up to be a MELT. We ordered the Munchie Mania w loaded waffle fries. It was waffle fries with that generic yellow liquidity cheese that some people put on nachos, and that's it. Loaded usually means cheese and bacon or chives or something along with the cheese and fries. The chicken quesadilla, which used to be one of my favorites, had barely anything inside them. We picked up one that literally was just the tortilla shell. Nothing inside. The taste was just off. Service, with no fault to the waitress, it was bad. When we walked in, there was a sign that said, "Please wait to be seated." So we did. As we waited, there were at least three people standing behind the ice cream order area just staring at us. No one said anything. No greeting, no "someone will be right with you" nothing. Just three girls with sparky looks staring. The Ice Cream order counter wasn't even busy. They could of came around and sat us. Then we looked out across the resteraunt and there was what appeared to be a manager bussing a table and one waitress. She pointed at us and pointed at the table. So the waitress finally after 20 minutes came over and sat us. No big deal. But then we realized that she was the ONLY waitress. We didn't see the manager lady the rest of the time we were there. The place got busy. The poor waitress was dealing with whole dinning room. Then, the three people behind the counter disappeared. So now our waitress is dealing with the dining room, the ice cream counter, and bussing tables. So unfortunately our service was a bit slow. She was a rockstar! The manager never came to help, and those three girls behind the counter re appeared and were slow to even get the three customers they had at their counter served. They seemed useless. The manager should have split them up and had at least one of them come out to the dining room arra to help with the people sitting and eating. Or came put herself and helped the waitress. The atmosphere was alright. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Kids were laughing and goofing around. The decore and colors are kind of bland and don't really resemble the old Friendly's with the more farmhouse style they had. I know they had to do away with the old decore because a shelf had fallen, and the stuff (old milk jugs, baskets, and other farm style decore) had hit a customer. After the remodels, I thought they did a great job with showing images of the old but with the new, modern graphics and images they had us put on the walls. This place was just meh. Also, probably due to there only being one waitress who was basically running the place, it was a bit messy. Unbussed tables and stuff on the floor. Not going to hold that against the place unless if we go back, it's like that again. Just chalking it up to understaffed. Overall, the place wasn't bad, and we even were talking about trying it again sometime as it is the only Friendly's around us, unfortunately. I used to eat there a lot and we use to go to the one in Holden, MA alot Not sure why they decided to close that one, it was always full. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anyway, it just didn't feel like a "Friendly's". It felt like a knockoff trying to be a Friendly's. With the very small portion sizes and the generic decore and the food not properly put together, it was mediocre. The nostalgia was there and the food was not bad, so maybe will come back. The...

Let's see where should I start. I went through the drive -thru and I had the wonderful pleasure of waiting over 5 minutes when I was the only car there. With my oddly long time for a drive thru; but yet still better than most McDonald's, I finally received my food. I ordered the chicken super melt with fries and drink. Yet I received no fries. Typical fast food. So I went inside and it took me about 5 minutes for anyone to help me. And yes many associates walked right passed me and one young kid just stared me in the eye and waited a minute,then left to the back. After receiving my fries, I proceed back to my car to enjoy this food.

But what really brought this review into light was the customer service. After enjoying my sandwich and allowing my girlfriend to eat half of it, I decided to get another one inside but order it online and get the wrap form cause ya know, if I can not get it at the drive thru, I can order it online and stick it to the Man. Now here is where things get sticky. I walk inside and I wait, oh my God, I would like to say close to 5 minutes before I was acknowledged by the staff. So this not only happened once like 10 minutes ago but yet Im now dealing with this wait game again... Now you ask what's so bad with that, well I had 6 different employees walk past me or scooping ice cream. Couldn't figure out for the life of me who they were serving. Since there was a handful of people in the restaurant and one car in the drive thru.

Any way, after waiting roughly 5-7 minutes to pay for my order, one of the associates needed to make my strawberry lemonade. Something that should be simple ended up taking an additional 3-4 minutes because the associate was laughing with her co workers how she messed up the drink. At least she didn't give me the lemonade that had chunks of strawberry in it. The funny part of order two was the cook in the back ignored my special request for bbq sauce on the wrap. I mean after waiting all that time for a simple order, I feel they will need to earn my stars back.

As far as corporate office is concerned, your menu lacks with the food portions, and quality. It's hard to compete against five guys and expecially Wendy's. Mannneee I want a baconator Just thinking about Wendy's. See friendly's, you need to leave a lasting impression on me with your food to the point of hearing your name makes my mouth water in agony. I want you to bring me to FLAVORTOWN BABY!

And P.S. I will be stopping by and grabbing more food soon. You may not be able to work on FLAVORTOWN just yet, but by golly I hope the service isn't as gut-wrenching as taco bells...

Ive visited this location twice in the last two months, and been extremely disappointed both times.

The first visit was met with a waitress that, while obviously one of only few working what was a surprisingly quiet Saturday lunch period, couldn’t keep up. Very few, if no, refills on drinks, moderately cooled food delivered to the table (it was quiet so, I dont know why my meal was approaching room temp) and a soupy mess of a Jim Dandy delivered to the table… needless to say, it wasn’t worth complaining because it didnt seem like it was going to get any better. It just seemed like she didnt really care.

The most recent visit was abysmal. It took almost 30 MINUTES to receive two sundaes at the walk up counter IN THE RESTAURANT. The staff, all high school and college kids, just could not seem to get anything out. Emphasis was clearly on the drive-thru, with orders piling up for the walk-in ice cream orders. By the time I had left to eat on their patio with my ice cream, the lobby was approaching full. NOT GOOD.

To make things worse, these kids seemed to have no leadership. Someone who seemed to be a manager, and was referred to as one by an employee, seemed to be more focused on talking and walking around the back like the front wasn’t getting busy. To top it off, an off the clock employee was seen behind the counter, out of uniform, getting himself snacks from the M&M/Reeses dispenser, taking peanut butter cups from the front of the counter, and making sure he got his discount (which he openly made sure to keep announcing) on the ice cream order he kept telling the cashier that he “should know by now.” This employee also left with his order BEFORE, anyone that had ordered before him… not a good look, and not great considering I waited almost a half hour, while an off the clock employee got express service, went behind the counter to treat himself, and got out of there before me and others who had been patiently waiting. The sundae I got after waiting for so long was also missing toppings, was poor quality, and honestly wasn’t worth the time or money.

I’m starting to understand why Friendlys is in the state its in. The food is lack luster, the service is mediocre, and their ice cream is just okay. I’d rather by a tub of their ice cream and all the toppings i want at the grocery store than visit this location again. To add to it too, it ain’t too hard to throw a burger on the grill and get the whole experience at home.

It has its good days, but lately its been a mess. Plenty of better options in the area that are just as or...