Friendly's on Long Island lives up to name

Friendly's may not be known for farm-to-table cuisine. Freezer-to-table, in fact, may be more like it. Yet, the regional chain has been feeding Long Islanders on Fishamajigs, sundaes and TLC for more than 40 years.

The news Wednesday that the chain's parent company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection was tempered by the decision to keep all 33 Long Island restaurants up and running.

Yvonne Patterson, manager at the busy Commack location and an employee for the past 19 years, said Friendly's is a place of comfort for many Long Island families. "Friday nights, it's a drop-off for parents who want their kids to be safe; we look after them," Patterson said.

Over time, she added, she and her crew have gotten to know several generations of parents and children. She reminisces sentimentally about watching teens and preteens "all nervous together," some on their first dates.

The appeal of Friendly's is "multigenerational and kid-friendly," said Carol Catalano of Kings Park, holding her 11-month-old granddaughter at the restaurant Wednesday. Also attending a family lunch party were Catalano's 3-year-old grandson as well as the children's great-grandparents.

For Catalano, the idea of losing such a place seems almost unthinkable. "Where else but Friendly's?" she asked after the kids made a huge mess during lunch. "Nobody cared."

To Patterson, that's as it should be. "It's like family here. You feel at home."

"I've been going to Friendly's since I was a little girl," said Daria Allbaugh of East Northport. During her pregnancy, she recalled, her husband, Michael Hickson, would bring her back rocky road ice cream almost every night.