Since 2012, Friskie Fries has transformed into a fried-potato empire. The operation started as a food truck, followed by a tiny shop in Johnston. Last year, Friskie opened a popular new location in downtown Providence. And last month, a brand-new venue opened in the East Bay, in the middle of the busy Barrington shopping plaza, only a stone’s throw from the bike path.
Not bad for a company that started as a dreamy conversation in Amsterdam, where friends Tom Wright and Randy D’Antuono were spending their vacation. The business partners have gambled on a daring concept – to turn French fries into an entire meal – and succeeded, mostly because of their far-out combinations: The Cat’l Call is basically fries covered in a Philly cheese steak, and the Disco Dottie is poutine mixed from Vermont cheddar curd and brown gravy.
Friskie Fries benefits from smart marketing, such as its logo of a cartoon cat, plus its increasingly lucrative street addresses. Not long ago, Wright and D’Antuono told us that they had sold the equivalent to 500 tons of potatoes, and they recently tallied 11,000 Miss Potato Heads sold in 2018. With its savory jumble of bacon, sour cream, and sharp cheddar, Miss Potato Head is one of Friskie Fries’ biggest sellers.
The new Barrington storefront should become a major destination for East Bay residents in search of munchies. But brace yourself: The fry duo will open a fourth location later this month – this time on 404 Thames Street in Newport.
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