Friendly's Reimagines Kids Meals Around Collectible Characters Friendly's is overhauling its kids meal offering with a character-driven experience built around five ice cream sundaes reimagined with distinct personalities. The Conehead Crew launches systemwide on September 16, combining menu redesigns, sealed trading card packs, and activity sheets into a collection-focused program. The lineup includes five characters: Conehead (vanilla with Reese's Pieces), Rock the Star (forbidden chocolate with Reese's and cherry), Puddles the Pig (strawberry with banana and M&Ms), Monster Mash (mint chocolate chip with M&Ms and Reese's), and Spot the Dog (Cookies 'N Cream with hot fudge, cherry, and Reese's).
Trading Cards and In-Restaurant Activities Each kids meal includes a sealed pack of two surprise trading cards from an 18-card series spanning Character, Crew, and Adventure collections. Premium and legendary cards are randomly distributed in select packs. The redesigned breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus feature mazes, word searches, and landmark-matching games for kids to complete while waiting for food. Starting October 1, Crew standees positioned around dining rooms double as photo stops, and kids receive temporary tattoos with their meals.
Promotional Pricing and Loyalty Tie-In Through October 13, kids eat for $5 when an adult orders an entree, available Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. for dine-in guests only. A Back-to-School bundle—cheeseburger, fries, and a Happy Ending Sundae—sells for $9.99. Erik Jenson, vice president of marketing for BRIX Holdings (Friendly's parent company), framed the strategy in terms of childhood memory-making: "Most people can still describe the toy that came with a meal when they were seven, right down to the details. 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." Customers can maximize value through Friendly's Fan Club rewards program, which provides exclusive offers and promotional updates.
Why It Matters
The Conehead Crew represents a broader industry shift toward experiential kids dining tied to collectibles and engagement beyond the food itself. By pairing menu innovation with sealed trading card mechanics and photo-op integration, Friendly's is banking on repeat visitation through completion incentives—a tactic long proven in consumer goods but increasingly deployed in QSR and casual dining settings to drive traffic during slower periods.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
