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Amol Kohli, once a dishwasher at a restaurant in the US, now owns the chain and its parent Brix Holdings, leading a revival of the iconic brand and six others across 250 outlets
Amol Kohli went from starting as a dishwasher to becoming a restaurant tycoon. (News18 Hindi)
It reads like the script of an inspiring biopic, a 15-year-old boy washing dishes and cleaning tables at a local diner in the United States, struggling to make ends meet, only to return decades later as the owner of that very restaurant chain. But this isn’t fiction. This is the extraordinary story of Amol Kohli, an Indian-origin entrepreneur who has turned his life around through sheer grit and determination.
In 2003, a young Amol Kohli worked part-time at a Friendly’s restaurant in the United States. He was then a high school student, earning $5 an hour, juggling studies with long hours of cleaning, cooking, and serving customers. “There wasn’t a specific role for me,” he once said in an interview, adding that he did whatever his manager asked, whether it was washing plates or taking out the trash.
Two decades later, the tables have quite literally turned. Kohli’s investment group has acquired Friendly’s and its parent company, Brix Holdings, along with six other popular restaurant brands. While the value of the transaction remains undisclosed, industry insiders estimate the deal to be worth billions of dollars.
Kohli’s journey from a waiter to a business magnate began with lessons learned on the job. After graduating from Drexel University with a degree in finance and marketing, he channelled his experience at Friendly’s into entrepreneurship. “Everything I know about running a business, from calculating food costs to managing insurance, I learned while I was still a student,” he said.
Over the years, Kohli built a formidable restaurant empire. Today, he owns around 250 outlets across the United States and oversees multiple brands, including Clean Juice, Orange Leaf, Red Mango, Smoothie Factory Plus Kitchen, Super Salad, and Humble Donut.
But his biggest emotional triumph remains the acquisition of Friendly’s, the same restaurant chain where his journey began. Kohli’s company has now taken control of all 31 remaining Friendly’s locations, aiming to revive the brand that has seen turbulent times in recent years.
Founded in 1935, Friendly’s once operated more than 800 outlets across the US. However, the chain struggled financially, and after the Covid-19 pandemic-induced collapse of the hospitality sector in 2020, it was forced into bankruptcy, eventually being sold to Brix Holdings for just $2 million.
Now, under Kohli’s leadership, the brand is set for a new chapter.
October 07, 2025, 20:18 IST
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