Friendly's is better than IHOP. Friendly's is better than Marie Callender. Friendly's has the Fishamajig sandwich and the Fribble shake and the Jim Dandy sundae. Friendly's French fries are fat, crinkly, and potatoey, like the frozen ones in a bag. Friendly's has the Wattamelon Roll ice cream, and the clown ice cream cone. Friendly's glasses flare to very fat at the top. IT IS FRIENDLY. (Yes, it is also a little sticky.) Its slogan is "Where Ice Cream Makes the Meal."

Now it is declaring bankruptcy.

Friendly's was one of two restaurants in my town growing up. These were the two restaurants we went to, period. My town was East Greenbush, New York. The other restaurant was Ponderosa Steak House.

My parents chose Ponderosa as the location at which to tell me they were getting divorced.

I love Friendly's.