He started as a waiter at a US restaurant at 15 — now he owns the entire company

Amol Kohli has gone from waiting tables as a teenager to owning the very restaurant chain where he once worked. In July 2024, his investment group, Legacy Brands, acquired Friendly’s — the American family dining chain — along with its parent company Brix Holdings and several other restaurant brands. Today, Kohli oversees more than 250 restaurant locations across the United States, including Friendly’s, Clean Juice, and Red Mango.

Who is Amol Kohli?

Kohli’s journey began in 2003, when he worked as a waiter at a Friendly’s in the Philadelphia area while still in high school. Earning about $5 an hour, he handled everything from cooking and dishwashing to bussing tables — doing whatever his manager needed.

Two decades later, he has come full circle, becoming the owner of the company that ga