On the streets of Amsterdam one early August morning in 2013, Rande Dantuono and Tom Wright were out sitting on the curb, eating from a cone full of frites. 

Soon, the sun would be rising, but for the longtime friends, the night had still yet to end. As they wandered the city together, spotting the Mr. Tom Snackbar had at first been a happy accident but the longer they sat there munching away, the more bored they had become with their impulse purchase.

With a sharpie in hand and a stack of napkins to use at their disposal, the pair began dreaming up all of the different, deluxe ways they could elevate their French fry game.

“We came home with a pocket full of crumpled up napkins; that was the birth of Friskie Fries,” said Mr. Dantuono. 

Now, more than five years later, residents in Barrington can enjoy some of those original, scribbled-down recipes with the opening of the latest Friskie Fries, located in the Barrington Shopping Center.

From zero to 50

Before their trip to the Netherlands, neither Mr. Dantuono or Mr. Wright had been looking to take on a new business venture. Neither one had any formal culinary training. Yet, upon returning to the United States, the duo inexplicably set out for the next year to create their “perfect” French fry: thick-cut but crispy, able to hold its own against an onslaught of hefty toppings. 

Together with their respective partners, Buck Asprinio and Bob Crossen, they dreamed up a menu full of flavor and smothered with sass—from best-seller and Mr. Wright’s favorite, the Miss Potato Head (sour cream, smoked bacon, chives and cheddar) to Mr. Dantuono’s top choice, the Dirty Daug (New York wiener bits, meat sauce, onion, mustard and celery salt). Using the logo from Mr. Dantuono’s bar, the Alley Cat, Friskie Fries had officially formed its identity.

“The four of us had a very certain attribute that, together, we all got Friskie,” said Mr. Dantuono.

After bringing on board their social media specialist, Kishin Anderson—dubbed by Mr. Dantuono as the “elusive Friskie Fries girl”—they were officially ready to debut their food truck at its first-ever event in June of 2015: PVDFest, the city’s downtown arts and culture festival. 

The success, as it would turn out, was immediate.

From the very beginning, people were obsessed with the concept of Friskie Fries, igniting a cult-like following on social media. Eventually a second food truck was needed, and within two and a half years, two storefronts had popped up in Johnston and Providence. Today, more than 600 tons of French fries later, the craze has yet to fade away. 

“Everyone wants Friskie Fries, and we don’t know why,” Mr. Dantuono said. 

Better together

As their success has continued to grow, Mr. Wright and Mr. Dantuono have settled into roles that serve their strengths. With his previous retail management experience, Mr. Wright is heavily involved in the company’s daily operations, from working with vendors to training new employees. Mr. Dantuono, on the other hand, largely tackles strategy, handling their finances and navigating through legalities.

“Our jobs are very different, but both equally very important,” said Mr. Dantuono.

Though the pair had experience working together in the past, it was the first time in their 20-odd year friendship that they were operating as business partners. While such a shift in the relationship could, for some people, bring the claws out, that was not the case for the guys behind Friskie Fries. There was still a period of transition; for Mr. Dantuono—previously accustomed to making decisions solo—that meant reworking how he communicates with team members. Regardless of the differences they may have, though, Mr. Wright has found that, ultimately, he and Mr. Dantuono will always come together to work out a solution. The way things have gone for Friskie Fries so far, Mr. Wright considers himself to be lucky. 

“I think I have the best job in the world.” 

Returning home

In the two weeks that Friskie Fries has now been open in Barrington, both Mr. Wright and Mr. Dantuono have been around to help get their latest restaurant off the ground. Already, Mr. Wright—a Barrington High School graduate of 1989—has seen plenty of familiar faces stopping into the store. 

“It feels like I’m home again,” he said. 

With the restaurant open seven days a week, residents have been able to see for themselves what exactly makes Friskie Fries so special. Walking into their restaurant, Mr. Wright and Mr. Dantuono feel, is an experience in itself, capturing customers from all generations with its energizing blue and orange décor, exclusive ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s tunes crooning from overhead and the Cartoon Network always reliably playing on each and every television (if an employee tries to change the station, Mr. Dantuono jokes: “I’ll probably fire them.”). 

For the food itself, those already familiar with their menu can expect the same spread, complete with 11 “dressed” fry varieties that include both sweet and savory options. Though their lineup has changed very little over the years, the restaurant will routinely feature specials, such as their Thanksgiving or Cinco de Mayo-inspired flavors. 

Mr. Dantuono feels as if they have truly created an atmosphere at Friskie Fries that people of all ages will want to keep returning to. 

“If you cover the people’s five senses, it’s kind of impossible for them to say no.” 

Moving forward

Now that the Barrington Friskie Fries is officially in business, Mr. Dantuono and Mr. Wright are gearing up for their next store opening in Newport in just a few short weeks. 

This summer, they still plan to operate out of their food truck and come September, Friskie Fries can be found inside the Rhode Island state building at this year’s Big E fair in Springfield, Mass.

By the end of the year, they aim to launch at least another two or three more company-owned stores; by 2020, they hope for an additional five. Through their franchising efforts, the pair hope to have 500 Friskie Fries situated around the country within four years. 

As long as they all keep working together and maintaining the Friskie Fries mission, Mr. Dantuono feels they have nothing to fear as they continue full steam ahead. 

“I think once someone gets Friskie, they’re going to continue to get Friskie.”