PENN TRAFFIC CO
424B2, 1996-04-12
GROCERY STORES
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<PAGE>
INFORMATION  CONTAINED IN THIS  PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT  IS SUBJECT TO
COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO  BUY
BE  ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME A  FINAL PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS DELIVERED. THIS
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT AND  THE  ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS  SHALL  NOT
CONSTITUTE  AN OFFER TO  SELL OR THE SOLICITATION  OF AN OFFER  TO BUY NOR SHALL
THERE BE  ANY  SALE OF  THESE  SECURITIES IN  ANY  STATE IN  WHICH  SUCH  OFFER,
SOLICITATION  OR SALE WOULD  BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR  TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION
UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.
<PAGE>
                  SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 11, 1996
 
           PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUS DATED DECEMBER 8, 1993
 
                                  $100,000,000
 
                            THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
 
                        % SENIOR NOTES DUE               , 2006
                                  -----------
 
    Interest on the Senior Notes is payable on              and               of
each  year, commencing                , 1996. The Senior Notes are redeemable at
the option  of the  Company,  in whole  or in  part,  at any  time on  or  after
             ,  2001 at  the redemption  prices set  forth herein,  plus accrued
interest to  the  date  of redemption.  The  Company  is required  to  offer  to
repurchase  the Senior  Notes at  101% of  their principal  amount, plus accrued
interest to the date of  repurchase, in the event of  certain mergers or in  the
event  of a Change of Control of the Company. The Senior Notes will be issued in
fully registered  form in  denominations  of $1,000  and any  integral  multiple
thereof.  The Senior Notes will be represented  by one or more Global Securities
registered in the name of DTC or its nominee. Interests in the Global Securities
will be shown on, and transfers  thereof will be effected only through,  records
maintained  by DTC and its participants.  Except as described under "Description
of Debt Securities--Global  Securities" in the  accompanying Prospectus,  Senior
Notes in definitive form will not be issued.
 
    The  Senior Notes are unsecured general  obligations of the Company and will
rank PARI PASSU with other unsecured  general obligations of the Company. As  of
April  11,  1996,  these  obligations consisted  of  approximately  $107 million
principal amount of 11 1/2% Senior Notes due 2001, $125 million principal amount
of 10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2002, $200 million principal amount of 8 5/8% Senior
Notes due 2003, $100 million principal amount of 10 3/8% Senior Notes due  2004,
$100 million principal amount of 10.65% Senior Notes due 2004, and other general
unsecured  obligations  of the  Company. The  Senior  Notes will  be effectively
subordinated to secured indebtedness of the  Company with respect to the  assets
securing  such  secured indebtedness.  The  Company's Revolving  Credit Facility
provides for  borrowings of  up to  $250 million,  subject to  a borrowing  base
limitation.  The Revolving Credit Facility is  secured by the Company's accounts
receivable, inventory and related assets. See "Capitalization".
 
    The proceeds of  the offering  of the  Senior Notes  will be  used to  repay
certain  outstanding  indebtedness  of  the Company  and  for  general corporate
purposes. See "Use of Proceeds".
 
    SEE "CERTAIN FACTORS" ON PAGE S-6 OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND ON  PAGE
5 OF THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS THAT SHOULD
BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH AN INVESTMENT IN THE SENIOR NOTES.
                                ----------------
THESE  SECURITIES HAVE  NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY  THE SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR   ANY  STATE  SECURITIES   COMMISSION  NOR  HAS   THE
  SECURITIES    AND    EXCHANGE   COMMISSION    OR   ANY    STATE   SECURITIES
    COMMISSION   PASSED   UPON   THE   ACCURACY   OR   ADEQUACY   OF    THIS
     PROSPECTUS   SUPPLEMENT  OR  THE  PROSPECTUS   TO  WHICH  IT  RELATES.
             ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
                                 --------------
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               INITIAL PUBLIC          UNDERWRITING            PROCEEDS TO
                                              OFFERING PRICE(1)         DISCOUNT(2)           COMPANY(1)(3)
                                            ---------------------  ---------------------  ---------------------
<S>                                         <C>                    <C>                    <C>
Per Senior Note...........................            %                      %                      %
Total.....................................            $                      $                      $
</TABLE>
 
- --------------------------
(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, from April   , 1996.
 
(2) The Company  has  agreed  to  indemnify  the  Underwriters  against  certain
    liabilities,  including  liabilities under  the Securities  Act of  1933, as
    amended. See "Underwriting".
 
(3) Before deducting estimated expenses of $          payable by the Company.
                                ----------------
 
    The Senior Notes offered hereby  are offered severally by the  Underwriters,
as  specified herein, subject to  receipt and acceptance by  them and subject to
their right to reject  any order in whole  or in part. It  is expected that  the
Senior  Notes  will  be  ready  for  delivery  in  book-entry  form  through the
facilities of DTC in New York, New York, on or about              , 1996 against
payment therefor in immediately available funds.
 
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
                           BT SECURITIES CORPORATION
 
                                                            MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                                                             INCORPORATED
                                ----------------
 
           The date of this Prospectus Supplement is April   , 1996.
<PAGE>
    IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR  EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS  WHICH STABILIZE OR  MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE  OF THE SENIOR NOTES
OFFERED HEREBY AT A LEVEL ABOVE THAT  WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE  OPEN
MARKET.  SUCH TRANSACTIONS  MAY BE  EFFECTED IN  THE OVER-THE-COUNTER  MARKET OR
OTHERWISE. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
                                      S-2
<PAGE>
                                    SUMMARY
 
    THIS   PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT  SHOULD  BE   READ  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE
ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS DATED DECEMBER 8, 1993 RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF UP TO
$400 MILLION AGGREGATE  PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF  DEBT SECURITIES. CAPITALIZED  TERMS
USED  AND  NOT OTHERWISE  DEFINED  HEREIN HAVE  THE  MEANINGS SET  FORTH  IN THE
PROSPECTUS. THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY  INFORMATION IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS ENTIRETY  BY
THE  MORE DETAILED  INFORMATION AND FINANCIAL  DATA APPEARING  ELSEWHERE IN THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT  AND THE  PROSPECTUS, INCLUDING  INFORMATION  INCORPORATED
THEREIN  BY REFERENCE. SEE  "CERTAIN FACTORS" IN  THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND
THE PROSPECTUS  FOR A  DISCUSSION OF  CERTAIN OF  THE RISKS  ASSOCIATED WITH  AN
INVESTMENT IN THE SENIOR NOTES.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    The  Penn Traffic Company  ("Penn Traffic" or  the "Company") is  one of the
leading food retailers in the eastern United  States. As of April 11, 1996,  the
Company  operated 265 supermarkets  in Pennsylvania, upstate  New York, Ohio and
northern West  Virginia under  the names  "Big  Bear" and  "Big Bear  Plus"  (76
stores), "Bi-Lo Foods" (42 stores), "Insalaco's" (29 stores), "P&C" (67 stores),
"Quality  Markets" (42  stores) and  "Riverside" (9  stores). Penn  Traffic also
operates a wholesale  food distribution business  which, as of  April 11,  1996,
served 124 licensed franchisees and 116 independent operators. Total revenues of
Penn  Traffic for the fiscal  year (53 weeks) ended  February 3, 1996 aggregated
approximately $3.5 billion.
 
    As of April 11, 1996, approximately 65% of Penn Traffic's supermarket  sales
are in smaller communities where Penn Traffic believes it virtually always holds
the  number one  or number  two market position.  The balance  of Penn Traffic's
sales  are   in  Columbus,   Ohio,   Buffalo  and   Syracuse,  New   York,   and
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
 
    Penn  Traffic's retail and wholesale operations stretch from Ohio to upstate
New York.  The Company  operates  in communities  with diverse  economies  based
primarily  on manufacturing, natural resources, retailing, health care services,
education and government services. As of April 11, 1996, no supermarket  company
competed  against  Penn Traffic  supermarkets representing  25%  or more  of the
Company's retail supermarket revenues, with the exception of The Kroger Co.  and
Wegmans  Food Markets,  Inc., which  competed against  supermarkets representing
approximately 35%  and  25%  of  Penn  Traffic's  retail  supermarket  revenues,
respectively.
 
    In   addition,  the  Company  operates  a  full-service  dairy  business  in
Johnstown, Pennsylvania under  the name  "Sani-Dairy" and a  bakery business  in
Syracuse, New York under the name "Penny Curtiss".
 
    The  Company pursues an aggressive capital program that seeks to match store
size and format  to local  demographics and competitive  conditions. During  the
five  fiscal  years ended  February 3,  1996, Penn  Traffic opened  or remodeled
approximately 65% of its retail  supermarket square footage. These larger,  more
modern facilities strengthen the Company's competitive position and enable it to
offer  its  customers  a  broader variety  of  specialty  departments, including
pharmacies, bakeries, delicatessens, floral  products, greeting cards and  other
general merchandise.
 
                                      S-3
<PAGE>
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
<S>                            <C>
Securities Offered...........  $100,000,000  principal amount  of       %  Senior Notes due
                                        , 2006 (the "Senior Notes").
 
Interest Payment Dates.......         and         , commencing          , 1996.
 
Interest Rate................  % per annum.
 
Redemption...................  The Senior  Notes  are  redeemable  at  the  option  of  the
                               Company,  in whole or in part, on or after           , 2001,
                               at the  redemption prices  set  forth herein,  plus  accrued
                               interest  to the redemption date. See "Description of Senior
                               Notes--General--Redemption."  The  Senior   Notes  are   not
                               entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
 
Ranking......................  The  Senior Notes  will be unsecured  general obligations of
                               Penn Traffic and will rank  PARI PASSU with other  unsecured
                               general  obligations of  the Company.  As of  April 11, 1996
                               these obligations  consisted of  approximately $107  million
                               principal  amount  of 11  1/2% Senior  Notes due  2001, $125
                               million principal amount of 10  1/4% Senior Notes due  2002,
                               $200  million principal  amount of  8 5/8%  Senior Notes due
                               2003, $100 million principal amount of 10 3/8% Senior  Notes
                               due  2004, $100  million principal  amount of  10.65% Senior
                               Notes due  2004,  and  other  unsecured  and  unsubordinated
                               obligations  of  Penn  Traffic.  The  Senior  Notes  will be
                               effectively subordinated  to  secured indebtedness  of  Penn
                               Traffic  with respect  to the  assets securing  such secured
                               indebtedness. The  Company's revolving  credit facility  (as
                               amended,  the  "Revolving  Credit  Facility")  with National
                               Westminster Bank  USA,  as  Agent for  a  group  of  lending
                               institutions, provides for borrowings of up to $250 million,
                               subject to a borrowing base limitation. The Revolving Credit
                               Facility  is secured  by the  Company's accounts receivable,
                               inventory and related assets. See "Capitalization".
 
Principal Covenants..........  The Indenture  relating to  the  Senior Notes  (the  "Senior
                               Indenture")  restricts, among  other things,  the ability of
                               Penn Traffic and  its Subsidiaries (i)  to incur  additional
                               indebtedness,   (ii)  to  enter   into  sale  and  leaseback
                               transactions, (iii) to pledge or dispose of assets and  (iv)
                               to  engage  in  transactions  with  affiliates.  The  Senior
                               Indenture also restricts the ability of Penn Traffic (i)  to
                               make  distributions on and repurchases  of its common stock,
                               (ii) to have restrictions on the ability of Subsidiaries  to
                               make dividend or other payments to Penn Traffic and (iii) to
                               merge  or consolidate with or  transfer all or substantially
                               all of its  assets to another  entity. The Senior  Indenture
                               also  restricts the ability of  Subsidiaries of Penn Traffic
                               to issue preferred  stock. The restrictions  referred to  in
                               this  paragraph will not apply  to any subsidiary designated
                               as an  Unrestricted  Subsidiary. See  "Description  of  Debt
                               Securities--Certain    Restrictive    Covenants"    in   the
                               accompanying Prospectus.
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-4
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                            <C>
Repurchase Obligation........  Penn Traffic will offer to repurchase all outstanding Senior
                               Notes  at  101%  of  their  principal  amount  plus  accrued
                               interest  to  the  date  of  repurchase  promptly  after the
                               occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in the  Senior
                               Indenture)  of  Penn Traffic  or in  the  event of  a merger
                               where, immediately after  giving effect to  the merger,  the
                               surviving  corporation does  not meet  the interest coverage
                               ratio set forth in the Senior Indenture. See "Description of
                               Debt Securities--  Mergers  and  Consolidations;  Change  of
                               Control" in the accompanying Prospectus.
 
Use of Proceeds..............  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
                               Senior  Notes to repay  certain outstanding indebtedness and
                               for general corporate purposes. See "Use of Proceeds".
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-5
<PAGE>
                                CERTAIN FACTORS
 
    Prospective  purchasers of  the Senior  Notes should  consider carefully the
following factors, as well as the other information set forth or incorporated in
this Prospectus Supplement  or the Prospectus  (including those described  under
the  caption  "Certain  Factors"  in the  Prospectus),  in  deciding  whether to
purchase the Debt Securities. See "Certain Factors" in the Prospectus.
 
CONTINUED OPERATING LOSSES
 
    With the  exception of  the  fiscal year  ended  January 28,  1995  ("Fiscal
1995"), Penn Traffic has experienced net losses for each of the years during the
five  year  fiscal period  ended February  3,  1996. The  Company's consolidated
statement of operations reflects a net  loss of approximately $79.6 million  for
the fiscal year ended February 3, 1996 (53 weeks) ("Fiscal 1996"), net income of
approximately  $13.2 million  for Fiscal 1995,  and net  losses of approximately
$17.7 million for the fiscal year  ended January 29, 1994 ("Fiscal 1994"),  $6.8
million  for the fiscal  year ended January  30, 1993 ("Fiscal  1993") and $67.4
million for the fiscal year ended February 1, 1992 ("Fiscal 1992"). Results  for
Fiscal  1996 were impacted  by a $65.2  million charge related  primarily to the
closure of the stand-alone general merchandise business (Harts), a write-down of
assets no longer used by the Company  in its business and the Company's  expense
reduction  program.  Fiscal 1996  results were  also  impacted by  the Company's
adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 121, Accounting  for
the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of,
which  required the Company to record a  noncash charge of $46.8 million related
primarily to the write-down of a portion of the recorded asset values (including
allocable goodwill)  of 18  of the  Company's supermarkets.  Results for  Fiscal
1995,  Fiscal 1994, Fiscal  1993 and Fiscal 1992  were impacted by extraordinary
charges (net of tax benefit) of approximately $3.0 million, $25.8 million, $10.8
million and $3.7 million, respectively, related to the early retirement of debt.
Fiscal 1994 results were  also affected by  a $4.0 million  charge related to  a
voluntary  employee separation program at the  Company's P&C division and a $2.4
million charge related to the realignment of certain operations, and Fiscal 1992
results were also impacted  by a $58.3 million  after-tax charge resulting  from
the  cumulative  effect  of a  retroactive  adoption of  Statement  of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 109, Accounting For Income Taxes. In addition, earnings
before income taxes  and fixed  charges (calculated  as described  in "Ratio  of
Earnings  to Fixed Changes" in the  Prospectus) were insufficient to cover fixed
charges plus the pre-tax equivalent  of subsidiaries' preferred stock  dividends
by $106.8 million for Fiscal 1996 and $5.7 million for Fiscal 1992. There can be
no  assurance  that  earnings before  income  taxes  and fixed  charges  will be
sufficient to cover  fixed charges in  future periods. It  should also be  noted
that  this measure of cash  flow does not take  into account capital expenditure
requirements,  scheduled  debt  repayments  or  any  increased  working  capital
requirements that Penn Traffic may experience.
 
    The  Company's net cash flows excluding  financing activities (i.e., its net
cash provided  by  operating activities  and  other investing  activities,  less
capital  expenditures  and  acquisitions)  were  approximately  $(40.8) million,
$(138.6) million and $(166.1)  million for Fiscal 1996,  Fiscal 1995 and  Fiscal
1994, respectively. Net cash flows excluding financing activities for this three
year fiscal period were impacted by increased levels of capital expenditures and
the  acquisition from  American Stores  Company of  supermarkets which  had been
operated under  the "Acme"  trade  name (Fiscal  1995)  and the  acquisition  of
"Insalaco's" supermarkets (Fiscal 1994).
 
HIGHLY LEVERAGED POSITION
 
    Penn  Traffic is highly leveraged.  As of February 3,  1996, the Company had
total debt  (including capital  leases) of  approximately $1,341.7  million  and
shareholders'  equity of $(53.3) million. If  future cash provided by operations
is less than  expected, Penn Traffic  may experience difficulty  in meeting  the
interest  and  principal  payments  due on  outstanding  indebtedness  and other
obligations. The ability of the Company to satisfy its obligations with  respect
to  the Senior  Notes will be  dependent upon the  Company's future performance,
which will be subject  to financial and business  conditions and other  factors.
Moreover,  as a result of the Company's  high leverage, the Company could have a
lessened financial  capacity  to  respond to  market  conditions,  extraordinary
capital needs and other factors.
 
                                      S-6
<PAGE>
                      RECENT SAME STORE SALES INFORMATION
 
    Same  store sales for the fiscal year ended February 3, 1996 ("Fiscal 1996")
decreased by 1.8% from  the fiscal year ended  January 28, 1995 ("Fiscal  1995")
(calculated  on a comparable week basis). Same  store sales on a quarterly basis
for Fiscal  1996  as compared  to  comparable periods  of  Fiscal 1995  were  as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             FISCAL 1996
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 QUARTER ENDED    QUARTER ENDED     QUARTER ENDED      QUARTER ENDED
APRIL 29, 1995    JULY 29, 1995   OCTOBER 28, 1995   FEBRUARY 3, 1996
- ---------------  ---------------  -----------------  -----------------
<S>              <C>              <C>                <C>
    (1.6%)           (0.9%)            (3.9%)             (0.9%)
</TABLE>
 
    Same  store sales for the first eight-week  period (ended March 30, 1996) of
the Company's first  fiscal quarter of  the fiscal year  ended February 1,  1997
("Fiscal  1997") increased 0.5% over the comparable prior year period. There can
be no assurance that this trend will continue.
 
    The Company believes  that the  improvement in  the same  store sales  trend
during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 1996 and the first quarter of Fiscal 1997 is
attributable,  in part, to the Company's recent  actions, which began at the end
of the third quarter of Fiscal 1996, to reposition its upstate New York  stores.
Penn  Traffic believes  that this program,  which includes,  among other things,
increased levels of customer service  and improved perishables departments,  has
resulted  in improved  sales in  its upstate  New York  stores. Accordingly, the
Company has decided to  expand the program throughout  its store base.  Although
the   Company  believes  that   this  program  will   lead  to  improved  sales,
profitability and cash flow in future periods, the introduction of this  program
is  requiring the  Company to incur  increased payroll  and advertising expense.
There can be no assurance that these increased expenditures will in fact lead to
increased sales, profitability and cash flow in future periods.
 
                                      S-7
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The net  proceeds of  the  offering (the  "Offering")  of the  Senior  Notes
offered  hereby will  be used to  repay certain outstanding  indebtedness of the
Company and for general corporate purposes.
 
    The pro forma capitalization table  set forth herein (see  "Capitalization")
reflects  the Company's expectation that all of the net proceeds of the Offering
will initially be  applied to repay  a portion of  the indebtedness  outstanding
under  the Revolving  Credit Facility. The  Company may determine  to allocate a
portion of the  net proceeds of  the Offering to  repay indebtedness other  than
indebtedness  outstanding under  the Revolving  Credit Facility.  In addition, a
portion of the net proceeds  of the Offering may  be used for general  corporate
purposes.
 
    The  Revolving Credit Facility bears  interest at a rate  per annum equal to
LIBOR (as defined) plus 2.25%, as to  borrowings for which the Company elects  a
LIBOR-based  rate  option, and  the  Base Rate  (as  defined) plus  1.0%,  as to
borrowings for which the Company elects  a prime-based rate option. At  February
3, 1996, the weighted average rate of interest on borrowings under the Revolving
Credit  Facility  was approximately  8.0%.  The Revolving  Credit  Facility will
mature on April 30, 2000.
 
                                      S-8
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
    The following table sets  forth the capitalization of  Penn Traffic and  its
subsidiaries  as of February 3, 1996 and as  adjusted to give effect to the sale
of the Senior Notes pursuant to the Offering and the expected initial use of the
net proceeds of the Offering to repay a portion of the indebtedness  outstanding
under  the Revolving Credit  Facility. This table should  be read in conjunction
with the Consolidated Financial Statements of Penn Traffic and the related Notes
thereto which are set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for  the
fiscal  year ended February 3,  1996, which is incorporated  by reference in the
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        AS OF FEBRUARY 3, 1996
                                                                                     -----------------------------
                                                                                        ACTUAL      PRO FORMA (1)
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
                                                                                        (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                                  <C>            <C>
Current Maturities of Long-Term Debt and Capital Leases............................  $      14,463   $     14,463
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
Revolving Credit Facility..........................................................  $     144,100   $     46,100
Other Secured Indebtedness.........................................................         24,657         24,657
Obligations Under Capital Leases...................................................        126,197        126,197
11 1/2% Senior Notes due October 2001..............................................        107,240        107,240
10 1/4% Senior Notes due February 2002.............................................        125,000        125,000
8 5/8% Senior Notes due December 2003..............................................        200,000        200,000
10 3/8% Senior Notes due October 2004..............................................        100,000        100,000
10.65% Senior Notes due November 2004..............................................        100,000        100,000
   % Senior Notes due              2006............................................           --          100,000
9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due April 2005....................................        400,000        400,000
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
    Total Long-Term Debt and Capital Leases........................................  $   1,327,194   $  1,329,194
Shareholders' Equity...............................................................        (53,271)       (53,271)
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
    Total Capitalization...........................................................  $   1,273,923   $  1,275,923
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Assumes the  sale by  the Company  of $100  million in  principal amount  of
    Senior  Notes and the use of the $98 million net proceeds thereof to repay a
    portion of the indebtedness outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility.
    As described in "Use of Proceeds,"  the Company may determine to allocate  a
    portion of the net proceeds of the Offering to repay indebtedness other than
    indebtedness outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility, or for general
    corporate purposes. See "Use of Proceeds".
 
                                      S-9
<PAGE>
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    Set  forth below is selected historical  consolidated financial data of Penn
Traffic for the five fiscal years ended February 3, 1996. Due to the adoption of
Statement of  Financial  Accounting  Standards  No.  121,  "Accounting  for  the
Impairment  of Long-Lived  Assets and for  Long-Lived Assets to  Be Disposed Of"
during the fiscal year ended February 3, 1996, and the adoption of Statement  of
Financial   Accounting   Standards   No.   112,   "Employers'   Accounting   for
Postemployment Benefits" at the beginning of  the fiscal year ended January  28,
1995,  comparisons of  the consolidated  financial results  among years  are not
necessarily meaningful. Furthermore, the historical consolidated financial  data
for  the fiscal  years ended  January 30,  1993 and  February 1,  1992 have been
restated for  the  retroactive adoption  of  Statement of  Financial  Accounting
Standards  No.  109,  "Accounting  for Income  Taxes".  The  selected historical
consolidated financial data for the five fiscal years ended February 3, 1996 are
derived from the Consolidated  Financial Statements of  Penn Traffic which  have
been  audited  by Price  Waterhouse LLP,  independent accountants.  The selected
historical consolidated financial data  should be read  in conjunction with  the
Consolidated  Financial  Statements of  Penn Traffic  and related  Notes thereto
which are set forth in the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal
year  ended  February  3,  1996,  which  is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   AS OF AND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED
                                                -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 FEBRUARY 3,
                                                  1996 (53      JANUARY 28,    JANUARY 29,    JANUARY 30,    FEBRUARY 1,
                                                   WEEKS)          1995           1994           1993           1992
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                         (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                             <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
OPERATING DATA:
  Total revenues..............................  $   3,536,642  $   3,333,225  $   3,171,600  $   2,832,949  $   2,772,104
  Cost of sales...............................      2,724,639      2,570,708      2,464,853      2,230,493      2,195,773
  Selling and administrative expenses.........        670,387        606,782        559,729        475,839        460,684
  Unusual item (1)............................         65,237                         6,400
  Write-down of long-lived assets (2).........         46,847
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  Operating income............................         29,532        155,735        140,618        126,617        115,647
  Interest expense............................        136,359        117,859        117,423        115,814        116,782
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  (Loss) income before income taxes,
   extraordinary item and cumulative effect of
   change in accounting principle.............       (106,827)        37,876         23,195         10,803         (1,135)
  (Benefit) provision for income taxes
   (1)(2).....................................        (27,202)        15,851         15,019          6,812          4,217
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  (Loss) income before extraordinary item and
   cumulative effect of change in accounting
   principle..................................        (79,625)        22,025          8,176          3,991         (5,352)
  Extraordinary item (net of tax benefit)
   (3)........................................                        (3,025)       (25,843)       (10,823)        (3,718)
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  (Loss) income before cumulative effect of
   change in accounting principle.............        (79,625)        19,000        (17,667)        (6,832)        (9,070)
  Cumulative effect of change in accounting
   principle (net of tax benefit) (4).........                        (5,790)                                     (58,330)
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  Net (loss) income...........................        (79,625)        13,210        (17,667)        (6,832)       (67,400)
  Preferred dividends.........................                                         (159)          (968)        (2,768)
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  Net (loss) income applicable to common
   stock......................................  $     (79,625) $      13,210  $     (17,826) $      (7,800) $     (70,168)
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (5)......       --                1.30x          1.18x          1.07x       --
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-10
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   AS OF AND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED
                                                -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 FEBRUARY 3,
                                                  1996 (53      JANUARY 28,    JANUARY 29,    JANUARY 30,    FEBRUARY 1,
                                                   WEEKS)          1995           1994           1993           1992
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                         (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                             <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Total assets................................  $   1,760,146  $   1,793,966  $   1,632,901  $   1,417,230  $   1,291,691
  Total funded indebtedness...................      1,341,657      1,277,276      1,166,025      1,005,136        912,070
  Redeemable preferred stock..................                                                      11,477         13,846
  Shareholders' equity........................        (53,271)        32,927         14,982        (40,488)       (31,459)
OTHER DATA:
  Depreciation and amortization...............  $      92,479  $      87,811  $      82,869  $      72,787  $      68,581
  LIFO (benefit) provision....................           (672)         2,792            103            479          1,617
  Capital expenditures, including capital
   leases and acquisitions....................        136,139        202,357        182,730        144,718         82,061
  EBITDA (6)..................................        233,424        246,338        229,990        199,883        185,849
  Cash interest expense.......................        132,062        113,664        113,270        111,478        112,228
  Ratio of EBITDA to cash interest expense....          1.77x          2.17x          2.03x          1.79x          1.66x
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) During Fiscal 1996, the Company recorded  an unusual item of $65.2  million,
    which  was  related  primarily to  the  closure of  its  stand-alone general
    merchandise business (Harts), a write-down  of assets that the Company  will
    no  longer  utilize  in its  business  and the  Company's  expense reduction
    program.
 
    During the fiscal year ended January  29, 1994 ("Fiscal 1994"), the  Company
    recorded  certain expenses totalling  $6.4 million classified  as an unusual
    item. This unusual item was comprised of $4.0 million related to a voluntary
    employee separation program at the  Company's P&C division and $2.4  million
    related to the realignment of certain operations.
 
(2) As  of  the beginning  of the  fourth  quarter of  Fiscal 1996,  the Company
    adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 121, "Accounting for
    the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed
    Of". Accordingly, the  Company recorded  a noncash charge  of $46.8  million
    related  primarily  to the  write-down of  a portion  of the  recorded asset
    values (including allocable goodwill) of 18 of the Company's supermarkets.
 
(3) The extraordinary items (net of income tax benefit) resulted from the  early
    retirement of debt.
 
(4) Effective  January  30, 1994,  the  Company adopted  Statement  of Financial
    Accounting Standards  No.  112, "Employers'  Accounting  for  Postemployment
    Benefits"  ("SFAS  112").  SFAS  112  requires  employers  to  recognize the
    obligation to provide postemployment benefits on an accrual basis if certain
    conditions are  met.  The cumulative  effect  of the  change  in  accounting
    principle  determined  as of  January 30,  1994 reduced  net income  by $5.8
    million, net of a  $4.1 million income tax  benefit, for the 52-week  period
    ended January 28, 1995.
 
    During  the first quarter  of Fiscal 1994, the  Company adopted Statement of
    Financial Accounting Standards No. 109, "Accounting for Income Taxes" ("SFAS
    109"). The cumulative effect of adopting  SFAS 109 was reported as a  change
    in  accounting principle  applied retroactively  to the  beginning of Fiscal
    1992. Retained earnings  were reduced  at the  beginning of  Fiscal 1992  by
    approximately $58.3 million for the cumulative effect of the adoption.
 
(5) For  purposes of the computation, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges has
    been calculated  by dividing  (a)  earnings before  income taxes  and  fixed
    charges  by (b) fixed  charges plus the  pre-tax equivalent of subsidiaries'
    preferred stock dividends. Fixed charges are equal to interest expense  plus
    the  estimated  interest  component  of  operating  leases  (assumed  to  be
    one-third). Earnings
 
                                      S-11
<PAGE>
    before income  taxes and  fixed  charges were  insufficient to  cover  fixed
    charges  plus  the  pre-tax  equivalent  of  subsidiaries'  preferred  stock
    dividends by $106.8 million and $5.7 million for the periods ended  February
    3, 1996 and February 1, 1992, respectively.
 
(6) EBITDA   is  earnings  before  interest,  depreciation,  amortization,  LIFO
    provision, unusual items  (including the write-down  of impaired  long-lived
    assets), extraordinary items, the cumulative effect of changes in accounting
    principle  and income taxes. EBITDA is a widely accepted financial indicator
    of a  company's ability  to  service debt.  However,  EBITDA should  not  be
    construed  as an alternative to operating income  or to net cash provided by
    operating activities (as  determined in accordance  with generally  accepted
    accounting  principles) and should not be construed as an indication of Penn
    Traffic's operating performance or as a measure of liquidity.
 
                                      S-12
<PAGE>
                          DESCRIPTION OF SENIOR NOTES
 
    THE FOLLOWING  DESCRIPTION  OF THE  PARTICULAR  TERMS OF  THE  SENIOR  NOTES
OFFERED  HEREBY  (REFERRED  TO  IN  THE  ACCOMPANYING  PROSPECTUS  AS  THE "DEBT
SECURITIES" OR THE  "SECURITIES") SUPPLEMENTS,  AND TO  THE EXTENT  INCONSISTENT
THEREWITH,  REPLACES THE DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERAL TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF DEBT
SECURITIES SET  FORTH  IN  THE ACCOMPANYING  PROSPECTUS,  TO  WHICH  DESCRIPTION
REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE. CAPITALIZED TERMS NOT DEFINED HEREIN HAVE THE MEANINGS
ASSIGNED TO SUCH TERMS IN THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS.
 
    The  terms of the Senior Notes include those stated in the Senior Indenture.
The Senior Notes are  subject to all such  terms and prospective purchasers  are
referred  to  the  Senior  Indenture  for  a  statement  thereof.  The following
statements relating to the Senior Notes  and the Senior Indenture are  summaries
and  do not purport to be complete. Such summaries may make use of certain terms
defined in the Senior Indenture and  are qualified in their entirety by  express
reference  to such Senior Indenture.  A copy of the  Senior Indenture is on file
with the Commission.
 
    As permitted by the Senior Indenture and as described herein, certain  terms
of the Senior Notes have been established pursuant to a Board Resolution adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Company on April 2, 1996.
 
GENERAL
 
    The  Senior Notes will be issued under an indenture dated as of December 15,
1993 (the  "Senior  Indenture") between  the  Company and  United  States  Trust
Company  of  New York,  as trustee  (the "Senior  Trustee"). The  Company's $200
million principal  amount of  8 5/8%  Senior  Notes due  2003 and  $100  million
principal  amount of 10.65% Senior  Notes due 2004 were  also issued pursuant to
the Senior Indenture. The  Senior Notes, which will  be limited to $100  million
aggregate  principal amount, will constitute a  series of Senior Debt Securities
described in the accompanying Prospectus  and will mature on                   ,
2006.  The Senior Notes will be unsecured general obligations of the Company and
will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.
 
    The  Senior  Notes  will  rank  PARI  PASSU  with  other  unsecured  general
obligations of the Company. As of April 11, 1996, these obligations consisted of
approximately  $107 million principal  amount of 11 1/2%  Senior Notes due 2001,
$125 million principal  amount of 10  1/4% Senior Notes  due 2002, $200  million
principal  amount of 8 5/8% Senior Notes due 2003, $100 million principal amount
of 10 3/8% Senior Notes due 2004, $100 million principal amount of 10.65% Senior
Notes due  2004 and  other general  unsecured obligations  of the  Company.  The
Senior  Notes will  be effectively subordinated  to secured  indebtedness of the
Company with  respect to  the  assets securing  such secured  indebtedness.  The
Company's  Revolving  Credit  Facility provides  for  borrowings of  up  to $250
million, subject to a borrowing  base limitation. The Revolving Credit  Facility
is  secured by the Company's accounts  receivable, inventory and related assets.
See "Capitalization".
 
    The Company will pay interest on the Senior Notes on          and
of  each year, commencing             , 1996, to the  persons who are registered
holders at the close  of business on  the             or             immediately
preceding  the interest  payment date. Initially,  Bankers Trust  Company, a New
York banking corporation, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar.
 
    GLOBAL SECURITIES.  The Senior  Notes will be issued in  the form of one  or
more  fully  registered global  securities ("Global  Securities") which  will be
deposited with,  or on  behalf  of, The  Depository  Trust Company  ("DTC")  and
registered in the name of DTC or its nominee. Interests in the Global Securities
will  be shown on, and transfers thereof  will be effected only through, records
maintained  by  DTC  and  its  participants.  Global  Securities  will  not   be
transferrable  or exchangeable for Senior Notes  in definitive form except under
the very limited  circumstances described in  the accompanying Prospectus  under
"Description of Debt Securities--Global Securities".
 
    DTC  has  advised the  Company  as follows:  it  is a  limited-purpose trust
company organized  under the  New  York Banking  Law, a  "banking  organization"
within  the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve
System,  a  "clearing  corporation"   within  the  meaning   of  the  New   York
 
                                      S-13
<PAGE>
Uniform  Commercial Code,  and a  "clearing agency"  registered pursuant  to the
provisions of  Section  17A of  the  1934 Act.  DTC  holds securities  that  its
participants  ("Participants")  deposit  with  DTC.  DTC  also  facilitates  the
settlement among Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers  and
pledges,  in  deposited  securities through  electronic  computerized book-entry
changes in Participants'  accounts, thereby  eliminating the  need for  physical
movement  of  securities  certificates. Direct  Participants  include securities
brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and  certain
other  organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its Direct Participants and by
the New York Stock  Exchange, Inc., the American  Stock Exchange, Inc., and  the
National  Association  of Securities  Dealers, Inc.  Access to  DTC's book-entry
system is  also available  to others  such as  securities brokers  and  dealers,
banks,   and  trust  companies  that  clear  through  or  maintain  a  custodial
relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly ("Indirect
Participants"). The rules  applicable to DTC  and its Participants  are on  file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
    Purchases  of Senior Notes under DTC's book-entry  system must be made by or
through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Senior Notes on
DTC's records. The ownership  interest of each actual  purchaser of each  Senior
Note  ("Beneficial Owner") is in  turn to be recorded  on the Direct or Indirect
Participants' records. Beneficial Owners  will not receive written  confirmation
from  DTC  of their  purchase,  but Beneficial  Owners  are expected  to receive
written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as  periodic
statements  of their holdings,  from the Direct  or Indirect Participant through
which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of  ownership
interests  in the  Senior Notes are  to be  accomplished by entries  made on the
books of Participants acting on  behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial  Owners
will  not  receive certificates  representing their  ownership interests  in the
Senior Notes, except  in the event  that use  of the book-entry  system for  the
Senior  Notes is  discontinued. To  facilitate subsequent  transfers, all Senior
Notes deposited by  Participants with DTC  are registered in  the name of  DTC's
partnership  nominee, Cede &  Co. The deposit  of Senior Notes  with DTC and the
registration in the name of Cede & Co. effect no change in beneficial ownership.
DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the Senior Notes;  DTC's
records  reflect only the identity of  the Direct Participants to whose accounts
such Senior Notes are credited  which may or may  not be the Beneficial  Owners.
The  Participants will remain responsible for  keeping account of their holdings
on behalf of their customers.
 
    Conveyance  of  notices   and  other   communications  by   DTC  to   Direct
Participants,  by Direct  Participants to  Indirect Participants,  and by Direct
Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed  by
arrangements  among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as
may be in effect from time to time.  Redemption notices shall be sent to Cede  &
Co.  If less than all of the Senior  Notes are being redeemed, DTC's practice is
to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant to  be
redeemed.  Neither DTC nor Cede  & Co. will consent or  vote with respect to the
Senior Notes. Under  its usual  procedures, DTC mails  an Omnibus  Proxy to  the
issuer as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede
&  Co.'s  consenting or  voting  rights to  those  Direct Participants  to whose
accounts the  Senior Notes  are credited  on the  record date  (identified in  a
listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).
 
    Principal  and interest payments  on the Senior  Notes will be  made to DTC.
DTC's practice is  to credit Direct  Participants' accounts on  payable date  in
accordance  with their respective holdings shown on DTC's records unless DTC has
reason to believe that it will not receive payment on payable date. Payments  by
Participants  to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices, as  is the case  with securities held  for the accounts  of
customers  in  bearer form  or  registered in  "street  name," and  will  be the
responsibility of such  Participant and  not of DTC,  the paying  agent, or  the
Company, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect
from   time  to  time.  Payment  of  principal   and  interest  to  DTC  is  the
responsibility of the Company or the paying agent, disbursement of such payments
to Direct Participants shall be the  responsibility of DTC, and disbursement  of
such payments to the Beneficial Owners shall be the responsibility of Direct and
Indirect Participants.
 
                                      S-14
<PAGE>
    The information in this section concerning DTC and its book-entry system has
been  obtained from sources  that the Company  believes to be  reliable, but the
Company takes no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.
 
    SAME-DAY SETTLEMENT AND PAYMENT.   Settlement for the  Senior Notes will  be
made  in  immediately available  funds.  The Senior  Notes  will trade  in DTC's
Same-Day Funds Settlement  System until maturity,  and secondary market  trading
activity  for the  Senior Notes  will therefor  settle in  immediately available
funds. All payments of principal and interest  on the Senior Notes will be  made
by the Company in immediately available funds.
 
    REDEMPTION.   The Senior Notes  will not be redeemable  at the option of the
Company prior to          , 2001. On or after          , 2001, the Senior  Notes
will  be redeemable at  the option of  the Company, in  whole at any  time or in
part, from time  to time,  on not  less than  30 nor  more than  60 days'  prior
notice, mailed by first-class mail to the Holders' last addresses as they appear
upon  the register,  at the  following prices  (expressed in  percentages of the
principal amount), if redeemed during the twelve months beginning
of the years indicated below, in each case together with interest accrued to the
redemption date:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR                                                            PERCENTAGE
- -------------------------------------------------------------  ------------
<S>                                                            <C>
2001.........................................................            %
2002.........................................................            %
2003.........................................................            %
2004 and thereafter..........................................      100.00%
</TABLE>
 
    If less than all the  Senior Notes are to  be redeemed, selection of  Senior
Notes  for redemption will be made in  the manner selected by the Senior Trustee
or the Registrar for the Senior Notes.
 
    The Senior Notes will not have the benefit of any sinking fund obligations.
 
    COVENANTS.  The restrictive covenants  described under "Description of  Debt
Securities--Certain   Restrictive  Covenants--Common  Indenture  Covenants"  and
"--Senior Indenture Covenants" in the accompanying Prospectus are applicable  to
the  Senior Notes.  Pursuant to  a Board  Resolution adopted  on April  2, 1996,
establishing certain terms of  the Senior Notes, for  purposes of computing  the
amount  of Restricted Payments  permitted to be made  pursuant to the limitation
described  in  clause  (iii)  of  the  paragraph  of  the  Prospectus  captioned
"Description of Debt Securities--Certain Restrictive Covenants--Common Indenture
Covenants--Restricted  Payments," the  date from  which Consolidated  Net Income
will  be  calculated  will  be  February  4,  1996  and  the  determination   of
Consolidated  Net Income  for any  period ending prior  to August  3, 1997 shall
exclude the  deduction of  an amount  equal  to the  aggregate charges  (net  of
applicable  tax) incurred by the Company related to the repurchase or retirement
of Indebtedness prior to its stated maturity.
 
    MERGERS  AND  CONSOLIDATIONS;  CHANGE  OF  CONTROL.    As  described   under
"Description  of Debt Securities--Mergers and Consolidations; Change of Control"
in the  accompanying  Prospectus, Penn  Traffic  will offer  to  repurchase  all
outstanding  Senior  Notes,  at  101% of  their  principal  amount  plus accrued
interest to the date of repurchase, promptly after the occurrence of a Change of
Control of Penn  Traffic or in  the event  of a merger  or consolidation  where,
immediately  after giving effect to such  merger or consolidation, the surviving
corporation does not meet  the interest coverage ratio  set forth in the  Senior
Indenture.
 
    EVENTS  OF DEFAULT.  Events of Default  with respect to the Senior Notes are
set forth  under "Description  of  Debt Securities--Events  of Default"  in  the
accompanying Prospectus.
 
                                      S-15
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Subject  to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement
and the  Pricing Agreement,  the  Company has  agreed to  sell  to each  of  the
Underwriters  named below, and each of  the Underwriters has severally agreed to
purchase from the Company,  the principal amount of  the Senior Notes set  forth
opposite its name below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
                                UNDERWRITER                                   OF SENIOR NOTES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----------------
<S>                                                                          <C>
Goldman, Sachs & Co........................................................   $
BT Securities Corporation..................................................
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated..........................................
                                                                             -----------------
  Total....................................................................   $   100,000,000
                                                                             -----------------
                                                                             -----------------
</TABLE>
 
    Under the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement,  the Underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the Senior
Notes, if any are taken.
 
    The Underwriters propose to offer the  Senior Notes in part directly to  the
public  at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this
Prospectus Supplement and in  part to certain securities  dealers at such  price
less  a concession  of    %  of the  principal amount  of the  Senior Notes. The
Underwriters may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not to exceed
  % of the principal amount of the Senior Notes to certain brokers and  dealers.
After  the Senior Notes are released for  sale to the public, the offering price
and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the Underwriters.
 
    The Senior Notes are a new  issue of securities with no established  trading
market.  The Company has been advised  by the Underwriters that the Underwriters
intend to make a market in the Senior  Notes but are not obligated to do so  and
may  discontinue market making at  any time without notice.  No assurance can be
given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the Senior Notes.
 
    The Company has agreed to indemnify the several Underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.
 
    Goldman, Sachs  &  Co.,  which  is an  Underwriter  in  this  Offering,  has
performed  various investment  banking services for  Penn Traffic,  for which it
received customary fees, and from time to time has participated in  underwriting
securities of Penn Traffic.
 
    BT  Securities Corporation,  which is an  Underwriter in  this Offering, has
participated in underwriting securities of Penn Traffic. Bankers Trust  Company,
an  affiliate  of  BT  Securities  Corporation, will  be  the  Paying  Agent and
Registrar for the Senior Notes.
 
    Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, which is an Underwriter in this Offering,
has participated in underwriting securities of Penn Traffic.
 
                          VALIDITY OF THE SENIOR NOTES
 
    The validity of the  Senior Notes will  be passed upon  for Penn Traffic  by
Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine, New York, New York, and for the Underwriters by
Sullivan & Cromwell, New York, New York. Such counsel will express no opinion as
to  federal  or  state  laws  relating  to  fraudulent  transfers.  See "Certain
Factors--Fraudulent Conveyance" in the accompanying Prospectus.
 
                                      S-16
<PAGE>
 
                            THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
 
                                DEBT SECURITIES
 
                               ------------------
 
    Penn  Traffic may  offer Debt Securities  from time  to time in  one or more
series at an  aggregate initial  offering price  not to  exceed $400,000,000  on
terms  determined at  the time  of sale. The  Debt Securities  will be unsecured
general obligations of the  Company and, at  the option of  the Company, may  be
offered as Senior Debt Securities or as Senior Subordinated Debt Securities. The
specific  terms of the  Debt Securities in  respect of which  this Prospectus is
being  delivered,  including  title,  aggregate  principal  amount,   authorized
denominations,  initial public offering price,  maturity, interest rate, if any,
time of payment of any interest, and redemption terms, if any, will be set forth
in the accompanying Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The Company may sell  Debt Securities to or  through underwriters, and  also
may  sell Debt  Securities directly to  other purchasers or  through agents. The
accompanying Prospectus Supplement sets forth  the names of any underwriters  or
agents  involved  in  the sale  of  Debt  Securities in  respect  of  which this
Prospectus is being delivered, the principal amounts, if any, to be purchased by
underwriters and the compensation, if any, of such underwriters or agents.
 
    SEE "CERTAIN FACTORS" FOR  A DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN  FACTORS THAT SHOULD  BE
CONSIDERED BY PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF THE DEBT SECURITIES.
 
                            ------------------------
 
THESE  SECURITIES HAVE  NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY  THE SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR   ANY  STATE  SECURITIES   COMMISSION  NOR  HAS   THE
   SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE COMMISSION  OR  ANY STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION
     PASSED  UPON  THE  ACCURACY  OR  ADEQUACY  OF  THIS  PROSPECTUS.   ANY
                REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                The date of this Prospectus is December 8, 1993.
<PAGE>
    IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF CERTAIN DEBT SECURITIES, THE UNDERWRITERS
MAY  OVER-ALLOT OR  EFFECT TRANSACTIONS WHICH  STABILIZE OR  MAINTAIN THE MARKET
PRICES OF  SUCH DEBT  SECURITIES AT  LEVELS ABOVE  THOSE WHICH  MIGHT  OTHERWISE
PREVAIL  IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED
AT ANY TIME.
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
    The Penn Traffic Company  (the "Company" or "Penn  Traffic") has filed  with
the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  a  Registration
Statement (of which this Prospectus is a part) under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "1933 Act"), with respect to the securities offered hereby  (the
"Debt  Securities"). This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set
forth in  the  Registration  Statement. Certain  portions  of  the  Registration
Statement  have been omitted  as permitted by  the rules and  regulations of the
Commission. Statements  made  in this  Prospectus  as  to the  contents  of  any
contract,  agreement or other document are not necessarily complete, and in each
instance reference is made to the  copy of such contract, agreement or  document
filed  as an  exhibit to the  Registration Statement, each  such statement being
qualified in  all respects  by such  reference and  the exhibits  and  schedules
thereto.
 
    Penn  Traffic is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), and, in accordance therewith,
files  periodic  reports  and  other   information  with  the  Commission.   The
Registration  Statement, the exhibits and schedules thereto, and the reports and
other information filed by Penn Traffic with the Commission may be inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities  maintained by the Commission at  Room
1024, Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the
regional  offices of the Commission located at 7 World Trade Center, 13th floor,
New York,  New York  10048; and  Northwestern Atrium  Center, 500  West  Madison
Street,  Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511. Copies  of all or any part of
such materials also  may be obtained  from the Public  Reference Section of  the
Commission  at  450 Fifth  Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549  at prescribed
rates. In addition, the  Company's Common Stock, par  value $1.25 per share,  is
listed  on the American Stock Exchange, and similar information can be inspected
and copied at the American Stock Exchange, 86 Trinity Place, New York, New  York
10006.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
    The  following documents which  have been filed with  the Commission by Penn
Traffic pursuant  to  the  1934  Act  are  incorporated  by  reference  in  this
Prospectus:
 
    (1)  Penn Traffic's  Annual Report  on Form 10-K  for the  fiscal year ended
       January 30, 1993,  as amended by  Amendment No. 1  thereto filed on  Form
       10-K/A  on May  21, 1993  and by  Amendment No.  2 thereto  filed on Form
       10-K/A on November 29, 1993;
 
    (2) Penn Traffic's  Quarterly Report  on Form  10-Q for  the fiscal  quarter
       ended  May 1, 1993, as  amended by Amendment No.  1 thereto filed on Form
       10-Q/A on August 12, 1993  and by Amendment No.  2 thereto filed on  Form
       10-Q/A on November 24, 1993;
 
    (3)  Penn Traffic's  Quarterly Report  on Form  10-Q for  the fiscal quarter
       ended July 31, 1993; and
 
    (4) Penn Traffic's  Current Report  on Form 8-K  dated October  8, 1993,  as
       amended  by Amendment No. 1  thereto filed on Form  8-K/A on November 24,
       1993.
 
    All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14  or
15(d) of the 1934 Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
termination  of  the offering  of  the Debt  Securities  shall be  deemed  to be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be part hereof from the date
of filing such documents.
 
    Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein  shall be deemed to  be modified or  superseded
for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein,
or  in  any  other  subsequently  filed document  which  also  is  deemed  to be
incorporated by reference  herein, modifies  or supersedes  such statement.  Any
such  statement so  modified or  superseded shall  not be  deemed, except  as so
modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
    Copies of  all documents  which are  incorporated herein  by reference  (not
including   the  exhibits  to   such  information,  unless   such  exhibits  are
specifically incorporated by  reference in  such information)  will be  provided
without  charge to each person to whom this Prospectus is delivered upon written
or oral request. Copies of this Prospectus, as amended or supplemented from time
to time, and any other documents (or parts of documents) that constitute part of
the Prospectus  under Section  10(a) of  the  1933 Act  will also  be  provided,
without  charge, to each such person, upon written or oral request. Requests for
such documents should be directed to  Eugene R. Sunderhaft, Secretary, The  Penn
Traffic Company, 1200 State Fair Boulevard, Syracuse, New York 13221-4737, (315)
453-7284.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                            THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
 
    The  Penn Traffic Company  ("Penn Traffic" or  the "Company") is  one of the
leading food retailers in  the eastern United States.  As of November 29,  1993,
the  Company operated 233  supermarkets in Pennsylvania,  upstate New York, Ohio
and northern  West Virginia  under the  names "Riverside  Markets" (13  stores),
"Bi-Lo  Foods"  (23 stores),  "Insalaco's"  (13 stores),  "Quality  Markets" (45
stores), "P  & C  Foods" (62  stores) and  "Big Bear"  and "Big  Bear Plus"  (77
stores). Included in the Company's 233 supermarkets are 19 supermarkets acquired
from  Peter  J. Schmitt  Co.,  Inc. ("Schmitt")  in  January 1993  (the "Schmitt
Acquisition"). These stores are primarily located in the Erie, Pennsylvania  and
Buffalo, New York areas. Also included in the Company's 233 stores are 12 stores
purchased  from  Insalaco Markets,  Inc.  ("Insalaco"), in  September  1993 (the
"Insalaco Acquisition"). These stores are located in northeastern Pennsylvania.
 
    Penn Traffic also operates a wholesale food distribution business which,  as
of  November  29,  1993, served  138  licensed franchisees  and  129 independent
operators and  a discount  general merchandise  business with  16 stores.  Total
revenues  of  Penn  Traffic  for  the  52-week  period  ended  October  30, 1993
aggregated approximately  $3.1  billion.  In addition,  Penn  Traffic  holds  an
indirect  ownership interest representing on a fully diluted basis approximately
17.8% of the  common stock  of Grand  Union Holdings  Corporation ("Grand  Union
Holdings"),  the indirect parent corporation of  the Grand Union Company ("Grand
Union").
 
    As of  November 29,  1993, approximately  60% of  the Company's  supermarket
sales  were in  communities with  a population  of less  than 75,000,  where the
Company believes it virtually always holds  the number one or number two  market
position.  The balance of the Company's  supermarket sales is in Columbus, Ohio;
Erie,  Johnstown,  and  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsylvania;  and  Buffalo  and
Syracuse, New York. The Company believes it has the leading market share in each
of these communities other than Buffalo, New York.
 
    Penn  Traffic's retail and wholesale operations stretch from Ohio to upstate
New York. The Company  operates in communities with  diverse economies based  on
manufacturing, natural resources, retailing, health care services, education and
government  services. As of  November 29, 1993,  no supermarket company competed
against stores representing more than 20% of the Company's total revenues,  with
the  exception of  The Kroger  Co. ("Kroger"),  which competed  against Big Bear
stores representing approximately 30% of the Company's total revenues.
 
    The Company has achieved continued improvement in operating performance over
the past several years. The  Company attributes these improvements in  operating
performance primarily to:
 
    (1) a successful merchandising strategy which allows management to adapt its
       in-store  presentations  and  advertising  programs  to  local  community
       preferences;
 
    (2) significant investments in store and distribution facilities  permitting
       the  Company to add higher margin  products and services while increasing
       operating efficiencies;
 
    (3) improved merchandising and buying programs; and
 
    (4) strong cost controls assisted by efficiencies gained from investments in
       technology and sharing of corporate resources.
 
    The Company pursues an aggressive capital program that seeks to match  store
size  and format  to local demographics  and competitive  conditions. During the
five fiscal years ended  January 30, 1993, the  Company has opened or  remodeled
66%  of its retail supermarket square footage (excluding stores purchased in the
Schmitt Acquisition  in  January 1993).  These  larger, more  modern  facilities
strengthen  the  Company's  competitive  position and  enable  it  to  offer its
customers a  broader variety  of  specialty departments,  including  pharmacies,
bakeries, delicatessens, floral, greeting cards and other general merchandise.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
    During  the period from  January 31, 1993  to January 31,  1998, the Company
expects to spend approximately $650  million on capital expenditures  (including
capital  leases), equivalent  to approximately  3.5% to  4.0% of  planned retail
sales over this period. These expenditures will be made within or contiguous  to
the Company's current marketing areas, primarily to support the Company's retail
supermarket  business. The  Company believes  that it will  be able  to fund its
capital plan through internally generated funds, borrowings under its  revolving
credit facility and capital leases.
 
    As  of November 29, 1993, approximately  100 senior managers of the business
were direct shareholders in Penn Traffic.
 
                                 RECENT HISTORY
 
THE INSALACO ACQUISITION
 
    In September 1993, Penn Traffic  acquired the operating assets of  Insalaco,
which  consisted of 12 supermarkets with a total square footage of approximately
400,000 and two  new stores  under construction  totalling approximately  90,000
square feet. One of the stores under construction opened in October 1993 and the
other  is  expected  to  open  in February  1994.  The  purchase  price  for the
acquisition was approximately $45 million plus approximately $8 million for  the
purchase  of working  capital. The  acquisition was  financed through borrowings
under the Company's revolving credit facility.
 
THE DEBT AND EQUITY OFFERINGS
 
    In April 1993, Penn Traffic effected a series of transactions which had  the
effect  of simplifying its capital structure, consolidating virtually all of its
operations in a single entity and reducing interest expense. These  transactions
included  (i)  the mergers  of the  Company's  principal subsidiaries,  P&C Food
Markets, Inc.  ("P&C")  and Big  Bear  Stores  Company ("Big  Bear"),  into  the
Company, (ii) the issuance of 307,850 shares of common stock of the Company (the
"Common  Stock")  and the  payment  of approximately  $10.8  million in  cash to
eliminate the minority  common and preferred  interests in Big  Bear, (iii)  the
sale  by the Company  of 2,000,000 shares  of Common Stock  in a public offering
(the "Equity  Offering")  and (iv)  the  sale by  the  Company of  $400  million
principal  amount of 9  5/8% Senior Subordinated  Notes due April  15, 2005 (the
"9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes") in  a public offering (the "Debt  Offering,"
and  together with the Equity Offering, the "April 1993 Offerings"). Since April
1993, P&C and Big Bear have been operated as divisions of the Company.
 
    A portion of the net proceeds of the April 1993 Offerings was used to  repay
$56.0 million of outstanding indebtedness pursuant to the three revolving credit
facilities  in effect prior to the mergers of P&C and Big Bear into the Company,
to repurchase all $135.0  million principal amount of  the 12 3/4% Senior  Notes
due  June  1997  (the "12  3/4%  Senior  Notes"), to  repurchase  $124.4 million
principal amount of the 13 3/4%  Senior Subordinated Notes due October 1998,  to
repurchase  $46.8 million  principal amount of  the 13  3/4% Senior Subordinated
Notes due June 1999, to redeem all $35.0 million principal amount of the  Senior
Increasing  Rate  Notes  due  1997  (the  "Senior  Increasing  Rate  Notes"), to
repurchase $10.5  million principal  amount  of the  11  1/2% Senior  Notes  due
October  2001  (the "11  1/2%  Senior Notes"),  to  repurchase all  $6.7 million
principal amount of the 13 1/2% Senior  Subordinated Notes due June 1998 and  to
pay  the $10.8 million  cash portion of  the Big Bear  merger consideration. The
remaining portion of the net proceeds of  the April 1993 Offerings was used  for
general corporate purposes.
 
    The  Company estimates that  its total interest expense  for its fiscal year
ending January 29, 1994  ("Fiscal 1994") will be  approximately $115 million  to
$120   million  and  that  cash  interest   expense  for  Fiscal  1994  will  be
approximately $110 million to $115 million.
 
THE SCHMITT ACQUISITION
 
    In January 1993, Penn  Traffic acquired certain  assets and assumed  certain
obligations  of 28  supermarkets located  in western  New York  and northwestern
Pennsylvania from Schmitt. Nineteen  of such stores are  being operated by  Penn
Traffic,  eight stores have  been closed and  one store has  been converted to a
franchise store. The acquisition was funded  through the issuance of the  Senior
Increasing  Rate Notes. In April 1993,  all of the outstanding Senior Increasing
Rate Notes  were  repaid from  a  portion of  the  proceeds of  the  April  1993
Offerings described above.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                                CERTAIN FACTORS
 
    Prospective  purchasers of the Debt Securities should consider carefully the
following factors, as well as the other information set forth or incorporated in
this Prospectus, in deciding whether to purchase the Debt Securities.
 
CONTINUED OPERATING LOSSES
 
    Penn Traffic has  experienced net losses  for each of  the years during  the
five  fiscal year  period ended  January 30,  1993. Penn  Traffic's consolidated
statement of operations reflects a net  loss of approximately $21.0 million  for
the  twenty-six weeks ended July  31, 1993 and net  losses of approximately $6.8
million for  the fiscal  year  ended January  30,  1993 ("Fiscal  1993"),  $67.4
million  for  the fiscal  year  ended February  1,  1992 ("Fiscal  1992"), $24.2
million for  the fiscal  year  ended February  2,  1991 ("Fiscal  1991"),  $29.2
million  for the  fiscal year  ended February 3,  1990 ("Fiscal  1990") and $8.4
million for the  fiscal year  ended January 28,  1989 ("Fiscal  1989"). The  net
losses  for  Fiscal  1993 and  Fiscal  1992  were restated  for  the retroactive
adoption of  Statement of  Financial Standards  No. 109,  Accounting For  Income
Taxes ("SFAS 109"). Results for the twenty-six weeks ended July 31, 1993 and for
Fiscal  1993 and  Fiscal 1992  were impacted  by extraordinary  charges of $22.1
million, $10.8  million and  $3.7 million,  respectively, related  to the  early
retirement of debt. Results for Fiscal 1992 were also impacted by the cumulative
effect of a $58.3 million charge resulting from the retroactive adoption of SFAS
109.  In addition, earnings before income taxes and fixed charges (calculated as
described in "Ratio of  Earnings to Fixed Charges")  were insufficient to  cover
fixed  charges  plus the  pre-tax  equivalent of  subsidiaries'  preferred stock
dividends by $5.7  million, $16.9 million,  $21.5 million and  $2.7 million  for
Fiscal  1992, Fiscal 1991, Fiscal 1990 and Fiscal 1989, respectively. The amount
for Fiscal 1992 was restated for the retroactive adoption of SFAS 109. There can
be no assurance  that earnings  before income taxes  and fixed  charges will  be
sufficient  to cover fixed  charges in future  periods. It should  also be noted
that this measure of  cash flow does not  take into account capital  expenditure
requirements,  scheduled  debt  repayments  or  any  increased  working  capital
requirements that Penn Traffic may experience.
 
    The Company's  net  cash flows  excluding  financing activities  (i.e.,  its
operating  cash flows plus proceeds from dispositions, less capital expenditures
and acquisitions)  were $(78.9)  million, $(27.9)  million, $(9.1)  million  and
$34.4  million for the twenty-six weeks ended July 31, 1993 and for Fiscal 1993,
Fiscal 1992 and Fiscal 1991, respectively. The net cash flows for the twenty-six
weeks ended July 31, 1993 and for  Fiscal 1993 and Fiscal 1992 were impacted  by
an  increase in  the level of  capital expenditures and  by extraordinary losses
related to the early retirement of debt. The Schmitt Acquisition in January 1993
further impacted Fiscal 1993. See "Recent History."
 
HIGHLY LEVERAGED POSITION
 
    Penn Traffic is  highly leveraged.  As of July  31, 1993,  Penn Traffic  had
consolidated  debt  (including capital  leases)  of $1,038.7  million (excluding
approximately $53 million of debt  subsequently incurred in connection with  the
Insalaco  Acquisition) and  shareholders' equity  of $18.6  million. See "Recent
History -- The Insalaco Acquisition." If  future cash provided by operations  is
less  than  expected,  Penn Traffic  may  experience difficulty  in  meeting the
interest and  principal  payments  due on  outstanding  indebtedness  and  other
obligations.  The ability of the Company to satisfy its obligations with respect
to the Debt Securities will be dependent upon the Company's future  performance,
which  will be subject  to financial and business  conditions and other factors.
Moreover, as a result of Penn Traffic's high leverage, Penn Traffic could have a
lessened financial  capacity to  respond  to market  corrections,  extraordinary
capital needs and other factors.
 
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY LENDERS
 
    The  discretion of  the management of  Penn Traffic with  respect to certain
business matters is  limited by  covenants contained in  Penn Traffic's  various
debt  agreements. Among  other things,  these covenants  limit or  prohibit Penn
Traffic and its  subsidiaries from incurring  additional indebtedness,  creating
liens  upon  its assets,  repurchasing shares  of its  capital stock  and making
capital expenditures and certain loans, investments or guarantees.  Indebtedness
under  certain of the debt agreements of Penn Traffic is secured by encumbrances
upon  certain  assets  of  Penn  Traffic.   There  can  be  no  assurance   that
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
Penn  Traffic's leverage  and such restrictions  will not  adversely affect Penn
Traffic's ability to finance its future operations or capital needs or to engage
in other business activities which may be  in the interest of Penn Traffic.  See
"Terms of Financing Agreements".
 
RANKING
 
    Debt Securities which are issued as Senior Debt Securities will be unsecured
general  obligations  of  Penn  Traffic  and will  rank  PARI  PASSU  with other
unsecured general obligations  of the Company.  As of November  29, 1993,  these
obligations  consisted of $125 million principal  amount of 10 1/4% Senior Notes
due 2002 (the "10 1/4% Senior Notes"), $100 million principal amount of 10  3/8%
Senior  Notes due 2004 (the "10  3/8% Senior Notes"), approximately $115 million
principal amount of 11 1/2% Senior Notes and other general unsecured obligations
of the Company. Debt Securities which are issued as Senior Debt Securities  will
be effectively subordinated to secured indebtedness of Penn Traffic with respect
to  assets securing  such secured  indebtedness. The  Company's revolving credit
facility (as amended, the "Revolving Credit Facility") with National Westminster
Bank USA ("NatWest"), as Agent for a group of lending institutions, provides for
borrowings of  up  to $200  million,  subject  to a  borrowing  base  limitation
measured  by  the Company's  accounts  receivable and  inventory.  The Revolving
Credit Facility is secured by  the Company's accounts receivable, inventory  and
related  assets. Debt Securities which are issued as Senior Debt Securities will
also be effectively  subordinated to  indebtedness of any  subsidiaries of  Penn
Traffic  with respect to the assets of such subsidiaries. The indenture relating
to Senior Debt Securities  provides that subsidiaries of  the Company which  are
not  designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries (as  defined in such indenture) may
incur indebtedness so long  as the limitations  described under "Description  of
Debt  Securities -- Certain Restrictive  Covenants -- Senior Indenture Covenants
- -- Limitation  on Indebtedness"  are  complied with,  and subsidiaries  of  Penn
Traffic which are designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries may incur indebtedness
without limitation. The Company currently has no significant subsidiaries.
 
    Debt Securities which are issued as Senior Subordinated Debt Securities will
be unsecured general obligations of Penn Traffic and will be subordinated to all
Senior  Indebtedness  (as defined)  of  Penn Traffic.  Senior  Subordinated Debt
Securities  will  rank  PARI  PASSU   with  the  Company's  other   subordinated
indebtedness.  As of November  29, 1993, other  subordinated indebtedness of the
Company included $400  million principal  amount of 9  5/8% Senior  Subordinated
Notes  and  approximately  $101  million  principal  amount  of  13  3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes  due 1999  (the  "13 3/4%  Senior Subordinated  Notes").  See
"Description of Debt Securities."
 
    In  the event of bankruptcy, liquidation  or reorganization of Penn Traffic,
there may  not be  sufficient  assets remaining  after  payment of  all  secured
indebtedness to pay all amounts due on the Senior Debt Securities, and there may
not  be sufficient assets remaining after  payment of all Senior Indebtedness to
pay all amounts due on the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities.
 
GENERAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
 
    The Company's  results,  as  well  as those  of  the  retail  food  business
generally, are influenced by general economic conditions in its geographic trade
areas.  Such areas have been experiencing an  economic downturn. There can be no
assurance that,  if these  conditions intensify  or continue  for a  significant
period  of time, the ability of the Company to improve or maintain its financial
performance will not be adversely affected.
 
COMPETITION
 
    The food retailing business is highly competitive. The number of competitors
and the degree of competition experienced by Penn Traffic's supermarkets vary by
location. Penn  Traffic competes  with several  regional and  local  supermarket
chains,  convenience stores, stores owned  and operated and otherwise affiliated
with large  food wholesalers,  unaffiliated independent  food stores,  warehouse
clubs,  discount drugstore chains and  discount general merchandise chains. Some
of Penn Traffic's competitors have greater financial resources than the  Company
and  could use those  resources to take  steps which could  adversely affect the
Company's  competitive  position.  In   addition,  Penn  Traffic's  ability   to
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
compete  may  be adversely  affected by  its high  leverage and  the limitations
imposed by its  debt agreements.  In particular, the  Revolving Credit  Facility
imposes  certain  restrictions on  capital  expenditures which  could  limit the
Company's ability to expand its store base.
 
LABOR RELATIONS
 
    Approximately 46% of  the Company's  hourly employees belong  to the  United
Food  and Commercial Workers Union. During the second quarter of the fiscal year
ended January 30,  1993, a  new three-year  labor contract  was negotiated  with
bargaining employees of Riverside Markets and new four-year labor contracts were
negotiated  with bargaining employees of Quality Markets  and P & C Food stores.
While  the  Company  believes  that   its  relations  with  its  employees   are
satisfactory,  a prolonged labor dispute could have a material adverse effect on
the Company.
 
ABSENCE OF PUBLIC MARKET FOR THE NOTES
 
    Although an underwriter may  make a market in  the Debt Securities, it  will
not  be obligated to do so  and there can be no  assurance that an active public
market for any  particular issue  of Debt Securities  will develop  or, if  such
market develops, that it will continue for the life of such Debt Securities. The
trading  prices of  the Debt Securities  will depend on  many factors, including
market conditions, prevailing interest rates, general economic conditions,  Penn
Traffic's  financial condition and other conditions  existing from time to time.
The market  for  high  yield  debt,  such as  the  Debt  Securities,  has  fewer
participants  and involves  a smaller  amount of  securities than  certain other
capital markets. It has historically,  and particularly in recent periods,  been
subject  to disruptions that have caused  volatility in the prices of securities
similar to Debt Securities. There  can be no assurance  that the market for  the
Debt Securities will not be subject to similar disruptions that will render them
difficult to sell.
 
FRAUDULENT CONVEYANCE
 
    If  a court of competent  jurisdiction in a suit by  an unpaid creditor or a
representative  of   creditors  (such   as  a   trustee  in   bankruptcy  or   a
debtor-in-possession)  were to find that,  at the time of  the incurrence of the
indebtedness represented  by  any  issued  Debt  Securities,  Penn  Traffic  (x)
intended  to  hinder,  delay  or  defraud  any  present  or  future  creditor or
contemplated insolvency with  a design to  prefer one or  more creditors to  the
exclusion  in whole  or in part  of others, or  (y) (i) was  insolvent, (ii) was
rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence, (iii) was engaged in a business
or transaction for  which its  remaining assets  constituted unreasonably  small
capital,  or (iv)  intended to  incur, or  believed that  it would  incur, debts
beyond its ability to pay such debts as they matured, and that the  indebtedness
was  incurred for less than reasonably equivalent value (or that the proceeds of
such indebtedness were  used to  refinance indebtedness incurred  for less  than
reasonably equivalent value), then such court could void such Debt Securities. A
likely  consequence of such  action by the  court would be  the subordination of
such Debt Securities to existing and future indebtedness of Penn Traffic.
 
                       RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
    The ratio of earnings to fixed  charges for the twenty-six weeks ended  July
31,  1993, and for  Fiscal 1993 were  1.03 and 1.07,  respectively. The ratio of
earnings to fixed charges is calculated  by dividing (a) earnings before  income
taxes  and fixed  charges by  (b) fixed charges  plus the  pre-tax equivalent of
subsidiaries' preferred stock  dividends. Fixed  charges are  equal to  interest
expense plus the estimated interest component of operating leases (assumed to be
one-third).  Earnings before income taxes and fixed charges were insufficient to
cover fixed charges plus the pre-tax equivalent of subsidiaries' preferred stock
dividends by $5.7  million, $16.9 million,  $21.5 million and  $2.7 million  for
Fiscal  1992, Fiscal 1991, Fiscal 1990  and Fiscal 1989, respectively. The above
amounts for  Fiscal 1993  and  Fiscal 1992  were  restated for  the  retroactive
adoption of SFAS 109.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The net proceeds from the sale of Debt Securities may be used by the Company
to  repay, redeem or repurchase  outstanding indebtedness, for general corporate
purposes, or for  such other purposes  as may be  specified in the  accompanying
Prospectus  Supplement. A description of any  indebtedness to be refinanced with
the proceeds  of Debt  Securities will  also  be set  forth in  such  Prospectus
Supplement.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
                         DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
 
    Debt Securities will constitute either senior or senior subordinated debt of
the  Company and  will be issued,  in the case  of Debt Securities  that will be
senior  debt  ("Senior  Debt  Securities"),  under  an  indenture  (the  "Senior
Indenture"), between the Company and United States Trust Company of New York, as
Trustee (the "Senior Trustee"), and, in the case of Debt Securities that will be
senior  subordinated  debt  ("Senior Subordinated  Debt  Securities"),  under an
indenture (the "Subordinated Indenture") between the Company and First Trust  of
California,  National Association, as Trustee  (the "Subordinated Trustee"). The
Senior Indenture  and  the  Subordinated  Indenture  are  sometimes  hereinafter
referred to individually as an "Indenture" and collectively as the "Indentures,"
the  Debt  Securities are  sometimes referred  to as  the "Securities,"  and the
Senior Trustee and the Subordinated Trustee  are hereinafter referred to as  the
"Trustee."  A  copy of  the  Senior Indenture  and  a copy  of  the Subordinated
Indenture are filed  as exhibits  to the  Registration Statement  of which  this
Prospectus  is a  part. The  terms of  the Debt  Securities are  governed by the
provisions of the Senior  Indenture or the Subordinated  Indenture, as the  case
may  be, and  the provisions  of the  Trust Indenture  Act of  1939, as amended,
incorporated by reference therein. The statements under this caption relating to
the Debt Securities and the  Indentures are summaries and  do not purport to  be
complete. Such summaries may make use of certain terms defined in the Indentures
and  are qualified  in their  entirety by  express reference  to the Indentures.
Whenever particular Sections or defined terms of the Indentures are referred  to
herein  or in  one or more  supplements (each, a  "Prospectus Supplement"), such
Sections or defined terms  are incorporated by reference  herein or therein,  as
the  case may be. In  addition, certain defined terms  are set forth below under
"Certain Definitions."
 
    The particular  terms of  each issue  of  Debt Securities,  as well  as  any
modifications  or  additions  to  the  following  general  terms  which  may  be
applicable in  the  case of  such  Debt Securities,  will  be described  in  the
Prospectus  Supplement  relating to  such  Debt Securities.  Accordingly,  for a
description of the  terms of a  particular issue of  Debt Securities,  reference
must  be  made  both  to  the Prospectus  Supplement  relating  thereto  and the
following description.
 
GENERAL
 
    The Debt Securities will represent unsecured general senior or  subordinated
obligations  of the Company. Debt Securities  which are Senior Subordinated Debt
Securities will be subordinated to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company.  Each
Indenture provides that Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series with
such  terms and provisions as are not inconsistent with the Indenture, including
as to maturity, principal and interest, as the Company may determine.
 
    Neither Indenture contains any limitation  on the amount of Debt  Securities
which  may be issued from time to  time thereunder. The Debt Securities relating
to this Prospectus may be issued from time to time in series up to an  aggregate
principal  amount  of $400,000,000.  The  applicable Prospectus  Supplement will
describe the following  terms of  the Debt Securities  of each  series: (1)  the
title of the Debt Securities; (2) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage
of  the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which the Debt Securities will be
issued; (3) any limit  on the aggregate  principal amount of  any series of  the
Debt  Securities; (4) the  date or dates on  which the principal  of any of such
Debt Securities will be payable;  (5) the rate or rates  (which may be fixed  or
variable)  per annum, or the method for determining such rate or rates, at which
the Debt Securities will  bear interest, if  any; (6) the  date from which  such
interest,  if any, on the  Debt Securities will accrue,  the dates on which such
interest, if any, will be payable, the  date on which payment of such  interest,
if any, will commence and the regular record dates for any such interest payment
dates;  (7) the place  or places, if other  than as set  forth in the Indenture,
where the  principal,  premium,  if any,  and  interest,  if any,  on  the  Debt
Securities  will be payable; (8) the date, if  any, after which and the price or
prices at  which the  Debt  Securities may  be redeemed  at  the option  of  the
Company;  (9) the dates, if any, on which, and the price or prices at which, the
Debt Securities will, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund provisions, or may,
pursuant to any optional  sinking fund provisions, be  redeemed by the  Company;
(10)  the dates,  if any, on  which and  the price or  prices at  which the Debt
Securities will  be repurchased  by the  Company at  the option  of the  Holders
thereof;
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
(11)  the denominations in which any Debt  Securities will be issuable, if other
than denominations of $1,000  and any integral multiple  thereof; (12) if  other
than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of
such  Debt Securities which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of
the Maturity thereof; (13) any index used to determine the amount of payments of
principal, premium, if any, and interest,  if any, on the Debt Securities;  (14)
if  the principal  amount payable  at the  Stated Maturity  of any  of such Debt
Securities will not be  determinable as of  any one or more  dates prior to  the
Stated  Maturity, the amount which will be deemed to be such principal amount as
of any such date for any  purpose, including the principal amount thereof  which
will  be due  and payable upon  any Maturity  other than the  Stated Maturity or
which will be  deemed to be  Outstanding as of  any such date  (or, in any  such
case,  the manner in  which such deemed  principal amount is  to be determined);
(15) whether any of such Debt Securities will be issuable in whole or in part in
the  form  of  one  or  more  Global  Securities  and,  if  so,  the  respective
Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends to be
borne  by any such Global Security and,  if different from those described under
"Global Securities"  below,  any  circumstances  under  which  any  such  Global
Security  may be exchanged in  whole or in part  for Debt Securities registered,
and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be  registered,
in  the names of Persons  other than the Depositary  for such Global Security or
its nominee; (16) ranking as Senior Subordinated Debt Securities, if applicable,
and the terms of any such  subordination provisions if different from those  set
forth  under "Subordination of  the Senior Subordinated  Debt Securities" below;
(17) any addition to  or change in  the Events of Default  applicable to any  of
such  Debt Securities and any change in the  right of the Trustee or the Holders
to declare the  principal amount of  any such Debt  Securities due and  payable;
(18) any addition to or change in the covenants in the Indenture described under
"Certain  Restrictive Covenants" below  applicable to such  Debt Securities; and
(19) any  other  terms  of  such  Debt  Securities  not  inconsistent  with  the
provisions  of the Senior  Indenture or the Subordinated  Indenture, as the case
may be.
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
 
    The following definitions are  applicable to both  the Senior Indenture  and
the Subordinated Indenture:
 
    "AFFILIATE" means, with respect to any referenced Person, a Person (i) which
directly  or  indirectly  through one  or  more intermediaries  controls,  or is
controlled by, or  is under common  control with, such  referenced Person,  (ii)
which  directly or  indirectly through  one or  more intermediaries beneficially
owns or holds 5% or more of the combined voting power of the total Voting  Stock
of  such referenced Person or  (iii) of which 5% or  more of the combined voting
power of the  total Voting Stock  (or in  the case of  a Person which  is not  a
corporation,  5% or more of the  equity interest) directly or indirectly through
one or more  intermediaries is  beneficially owned  or held  by such  referenced
Person, or a Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary of such referenced Person.
When  used herein without reference to  any Person, Affiliate means an Affiliate
of the Company.
 
    "ASSET SALE" means the sale or other disposition, in a transaction which  is
not  a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries
to any Person other than  the Company or one of  its Subsidiaries of (i) any  of
the Capital Stock of any of the Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the
Company  or (ii)  any other  assets of the  Company or  any other  assets of its
Subsidiaries outside the  ordinary course  of business  of the  Company or  such
Subsidiary.
 
    "AVERAGE  LIFE" means, as of the date  of determination, with respect to any
debt security, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products  of
the  numbers  of years  from  the date  of determination  to  the dates  of each
successive scheduled principal payment of  such debt security multiplied by  the
amount of such principal payment by (ii) the sum of all such principal payments.
 
    "BOARD  OF DIRECTORS"  means the  board of directors  of the  Company or any
authorized committee of such Board.
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
    "BOARD RESOLUTION" means a copy of  a resolution certified by the  Secretary
or  an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board
of Directors  and  to  be  in  full  force  and  effect  on  the  date  of  such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
 
    "CAPITAL  STOCK"  means, with  respect to  any Person,  any and  all shares,
interests, participations, rights in  or other equivalents (however  designated)
of  such  Person's capital  stock, and  any rights  (other than  debt securities
convertible into  capital  stock),  warrants  or  options  exchangeable  for  or
convertible into such capital stock.
 
    "CAPITALIZED  LEASE OBLIGATION" means,  as to any  Person, the obligation of
such Person to pay rent  or other amounts under a  lease of (or other  agreement
conveying  the  right to  use)  real or  personal  Property which  obligation is
required to be classified and accounted for  as a capital lease obligation on  a
balance sheet of such Person under generally accepted accounting principles and,
for  purposes of the Indenture, the amount  of such obligation at any date shall
be the outstanding amount  thereof at such date,  determined in accordance  with
generally accepted accounting principles.
 
    "CHANGE  OF CONTROL" means, with respect to  the Company, an event or series
of events by which (i) any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d)  and
14(d)  of the Exchange  Act) (other than  Riverside Acquisition Company, Limited
Partnership, Miller Tabak Hirsch + Co. or any Affiliate of either thereof) is or
becomes the "beneficial owner"  (as defined in Rules  13d-3 and 13d-5 under  the
Exchange  Act,  except  that  a  person  shall  be  deemed  to  have "beneficial
ownership" of all shares that any such person has the right to acquire,  whether
such  right  is exercisable  immediately  or only  after  the passage  of time),
directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of common stock
of the Company  or securities representing  50% or more  of the combined  voting
power  of  the Company's  Voting Stock,  (ii) the  Company consolidates  with or
merges into  another  Person or  conveys,  transfers,  sells or  leases  all  or
substantially  all of its assets to any  Person, or any Person consolidates with
or merges into the Company, in either  event pursuant to a transaction in  which
the  outstanding Voting Stock  of the Company  is changed into  or exchanged for
cash, securities or other Property, other than any such transaction between  the
Company  and its wholly owned Subsidiaries  (which wholly owned subsidiaries are
United States  corporations), with  the  effect that  any "person"  (other  than
Riverside Acquisition Company, Limited Partnership, Miller Tabak Hirsch + Co. or
any  Affiliate of  either thereof) becomes  the "beneficial  owner," directly or
indirectly, of 50%  or more of  the outstanding  shares of common  stock of  the
Company  or securities representing 50% or more  of the combined voting power of
the Company's  Voting Stock  or (iii)  during any  consecutive two-year  period,
individuals  who at the beginning of such period constituted the Company's Board
of Directors (together with  any new directors whose  election by the  Company's
Board   of  Directors,  or  whose  nomination  for  election  by  the  Company's
shareholders, was approved by  a vote of  at least a  majority of the  directors
then  still in office who were either  directors at the beginning of such period
or whose election or nomination for  election was previously so approved)  cease
for any reason to constitute a majority of the directors then in office.
 
    "COMPANY REQUEST" or "COMPANY ORDER" means a written request or order signed
in  the name of the Company  by its Chairman of the  Board, its Vice Chairman of
the Board, its President or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant
Treasurer, its  Secretary  or  an  Assistant Secretary,  and  delivered  to  the
Trustee.
 
    "CONSOLIDATED  INTEREST COVERAGE RATIO"  means, with respect  to the Company
for any period, the ratio of (i) the aggregate amount of Consolidated  Operating
Income  of  the  Company for  the  four  consecutive fiscal  quarters  for which
financial information in respect thereof  is available immediately prior to  the
Transaction  Date to (ii) the aggregate  amount of Consolidated Interest Expense
of the Company  for the  four consecutive  fiscal quarters  for which  financial
information in respect thereof is available immediately prior to the Transaction
Date;  PROVIDED  that  for  purposes of  calculating  the  Consolidated Interest
Coverage Ratio  of  the Company,  (a)  Consolidated Operating  Income  shall  be
calculated on the basis of first-in, first-out method of inventory valuation, as
determined in accordance
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
with  generally accepted  accounting principles, (b)  the Consolidated Operating
Income and  Consolidated  Interest Expense  of  the Company  shall  include  the
Consolidated Operating Income and Consolidated Interest Expense of any Person to
be  acquired by the  Company or any  of its Subsidiaries  in connection with the
transaction giving  rise to  the  need to  calculate the  Consolidated  Interest
Coverage  Ratio, on a pro forma basis,  for the four consecutive fiscal quarters
for which  financial information  in respect  thereof is  available  immediately
prior to the Transaction Date, and shall also include the Consolidated Operating
Income  and Consolidated  Interest Expense  of any  other Person  which has been
acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during such four  consecutive
fiscal  quarters,  on  a  pro  forma basis,  for  such  four  consecutive fiscal
quarters, the Consolidated Operating Income and Consolidated Interest Expense of
any such Person or  Persons to be  determined on the  same basis as  determining
such  items for the Company and (c) Consolidated Interest Expense and Redeemable
Dividends shall be  calculated as  if (i)  any Indebtedness  incurred or  issued
since  the beginning of the four consecutive fiscal quarters for which financial
information in respect thereof is available immediately prior to the Transaction
Date, or to be incurred or issued at or prior to the time the transaction giving
rise to  the need  to  calculate the  Consolidated  Interest Coverage  Ratio  is
effected  (the  "Transaction  Time"), had  been  incurred  or issued  as  of the
beginning of such four quarter period and (ii) any Indebtedness repaid since the
beginning of such  four quarter period,  or to  be repaid with  the proceeds  of
Indebtedness  or equity  incurred or issued  or to  be incurred or  issued at or
prior to the Transaction Time, had been repaid as of the beginning of such  four
quarter  period. For purposes of  determining the Consolidated Interest Coverage
Ratio of the Company for any  period, (i) any Indebtedness incurred or  proposed
to  be incurred or  Redeemable Stock issued  or proposed to  be issued which for
purposes of clause (c) above is deemed to have been incurred or issued as of the
beginning of  the  four quarter  period  described  in clause  (c)  which  bears
interest at a fluctuating rate will be deemed to have borne interest during such
four  quarter period  at the  rate in  effect on  the Transaction  Date and (ii)
"Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary of the Company other than any  Subsidiary
(and  Subsidiaries of  such Subsidiary)  of which  the Company  does not  own or
control, directly or indirectly, a sufficient amount of Voting Stock in order to
cause a merger of such Subsidiary into the Company or another Subsidiary without
the approval of any other holder of Voting Stock of such Subsidiary.
 
    "CONSOLIDATED INTEREST EXPENSE" means, for any period, without  duplication,
(A)  the sum of (i)  the aggregate amount of  interest recognized by the Company
and its  Subsidiaries during  such  period in  respect  of Indebtedness  of  the
Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  (including,  without  limitation,  all interest
capitalized by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during such period and all
commissions, discounts and other  fees and charges owed  by the Company and  its
Subsidiaries with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance financing
and  the net costs associated with Interest  Swap Obligations of the Company and
its Subsidiaries),  (ii)  the aggregate  amount  of the  interest  component  of
rentals  in respect of  Capitalized Lease Obligations  recognized by the Company
and its Subsidiaries during such period, (iii) to the extent any Indebtedness of
any Person is Guaranteed by the Company  or any of its Subsidiaries (other  than
Guarantees  relating to obligations  of customers of  the franchise or wholesale
business of the Company or any of  its Subsidiaries which Guarantees are in  the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices of the Company or
its  Subsidiaries), the  aggregate amount  of interest  paid or  accrued by such
Person during such  period attributable to  any such Indebtedness  and (iv)  the
aggregate amount of Redeemable Dividends accrued during such period with respect
to  Redeemable Stock of the  Company or any of  its Subsidiaries, whether or not
declared during  such period,  less (B)  amortization or  write-off of  deferred
financing  costs of the Company and its  Subsidiaries during such period and, to
the extent included in (A) above, any  charge related to any premium or  penalty
paid  in connection  with redeeming  or retiring  any Indebtedness  prior to its
stated maturity, in the  case of both  (A) and (B)  above, after elimination  of
intercompany  accounts among the Company and  its Subsidiaries and as determined
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
    "CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME" means, for any period, the aggregate net income of
the Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for such  period  on a  consolidated  basis,
determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, PROVIDED
that  there shall be excluded  therefrom after giving effect  to any related tax
effect (i)  gains and  losses  from Asset  Sales  or reserves  relating  thereto
(except gains on Asset
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
Sales  relating  to  an Unrestricted  Subsidiary,  including the  sale  or other
disposition of  all  or  a portion  of  the  Capital Stock  of  an  Unrestricted
Subsidiary,  to  the  extent of  the  amount  of cash  dividends  or  other cash
distributions in  respect of  its Capital  Stock  relating to  the sale  of  the
Property or Capital Stock of such Unrestricted Subsidiary that are actually paid
to and received by the Company during such period out of funds legally available
therefor),  (ii) items  classified as  extraordinary or  nonrecurring, (iii) the
income (or loss) of any Unrestricted Subsidiary and any Joint Venture, except to
the extent of the amount of cash dividends or other distributions in respect  of
its Capital Stock or interest in the Joint Venture actually paid to and received
by  the  Company  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries  during  such  period  by  such
Unrestricted  Subsidiary  or  Joint  Venture  out  of  funds  legally  available
therefor,  (iv) except  to the extent  includable pursuant to  clause (iii), the
income (or loss) of any  Person accrued or attributable  to any period prior  to
the  date  it  becomes  a  Subsidiary  of  the  Company  or  is  merged  into or
consolidated with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person's assets
(or a portion thereof) are  acquired by the Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries
and (v) the cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles in the year of
adoption of such change.
 
    "CONSOLIDATED  OPERATING INCOME" means, with respect  to the Company for any
period, the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such
period (A) increased  by the  sum of (i)  Consolidated Interest  Expense of  the
Company  for  such  period, (ii)  income  tax  expense of  the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for  such period (after giving effect  to
any income tax expense adjustments made in arriving at Consolidated Net Income),
(iii)   depreciation  expense  of  the  Company   and  its  Subsidiaries,  on  a
consolidated basis, for such  period, (iv) amortization  expense of the  Company
and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for such period, (v) amortization
or write-off of deferred financing costs of the Company and its Subsidiaries, on
a  consolidated basis, for such period and (vi) other noncash items, but only to
the extent the items referred to in  subclauses (i) through (vi) of this  clause
(A)  reduced such Consolidated Net  Income, and (B) decreased  by the sum of (i)
noncash items  increasing such  Consolidated Net  Income and  (ii) any  revenues
received  or accrued by the  Company or any of  its Subsidiaries from any Person
(other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) in respect of any Investment
for such period (other than revenue from any Qualified Investment), but only  to
the  extent the items referred to in subclauses  (i) and (ii) of this clause (B)
increased such Consolidated  Net Income,  all as determined  in accordance  with
generally accepted accounting principles.
 
    "CONTROL  AFFILIATE" means, with respect to  the Company, any Affiliate that
directly or  indirectly through  one  or more  intermediaries (i)  controls  the
Company or (ii) beneficially owns, holds or controls 10% or more of the combined
voting power of the total Voting Stock of the Company.
 
    "DEPOSITARY"  means, with  respect to Securities  of any  series issuable in
whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing agency
registered under the 1934 Act that is  designated to act as Depositary for  such
Securities as contemplated by Section 3.01 of the Indenture.
 
    "FAIR  MARKET  VALUE" means,  with respect  to an  Asset Sale  involving any
Property or any noncash consideration received by or transferred to any  Person,
the  fair  market  value  of  such Property  or  such  noncash  consideration as
determined in  good faith  (i)  in the  case of  any  Asset Sale  involving  any
Property or any such noncash consideration with a fair market value of less than
$5  million, by the Company as evidenced by an Officers' Certificate and (ii) in
the case  of  any  Asset  Sale  involving  any  Property  or  any  such  noncash
consideration  with a fair market value of more than $5 million, by the Board of
Directors of the Company.
 
    "GLOBAL SECURITY"  means  a Security  that  evidences  all or  part  of  the
Securities  of any series and bears the legend  set forth in Section 2.02 of the
Indenture (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 of
the Indenture for such Securities).
 
    "GUARANTEE"  means  any  direct   or  indirect  obligation,  contingent   or
otherwise,   of  a  Person  guaranteeing  or   having  the  economic  effect  of
guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person in any manner.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
    "INDEBTEDNESS," as applied  to any Person,  means, without duplication,  (i)
any  obligation, contingent or otherwise, for borrowed money (whether or not the
recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a
portion thereof), (ii) any obligation owed for  all or any part of the  purchase
price  of Property or other  assets or for the cost  of Property or other assets
constructed or of  improvements thereto  (including any obligation  under or  in
connection  with  any letter  of credit  related  thereto), other  than accounts
payable included  in current  liabilities incurred  in respect  of Property  and
services  purchased  in the  ordinary course  of business,  (iii) except  to the
extent supporting other Indebtedness of a Person, any obligation of such  Person
under  or in connection with any letter of credit issued for the account of such
Person, and,  without duplication,  all  drafts drawn,  or demands  for  payment
honored,  thereunder, (iv) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, as set forth
in subclauses (i) and (ii) of this definition, secured by any Lien in respect of
Property even though the  Person owning the Property  has not assumed or  become
liable  for payment  of such obligation,  (v) any  Capitalized Lease Obligation,
(vi) any note  payable or  draft accepted  representing an  extension of  credit
(other  than extensions  of credit  for Property  and services  purchased in the
ordinary course  of business),  whether or  not representing  an obligation  for
borrowed  money,  (vii) the  maximum fixed  repurchase  price of  any Redeemable
Stock, (viii) obligations in respect of  Interest Swap Obligations and (ix)  any
obligation   which  is  in  economic  effect  a  Guarantee,  regardless  of  its
characterization, with respect to Indebtedness (of a kind otherwise described in
this definition) of another Person. For purposes of the preceding sentence,  the
maximum  fixed repurchase price  of any Redeemable  Stock which does  not have a
fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of  such
Redeemable  Stock as if  such Redeemable Stock  were repurchased on  any date on
which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to the Indenture.
The amount of Indebtedness of  any Person at any  date shall be the  outstanding
balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and the
maximum liability of any such contingent obligations at such date.
 
    "INTEREST  SWAP OBLIGATIONS" means the obligations of any Person pursuant to
any interest rate swap agreement, interest  rate cap, collar or floor  agreement
or other similar agreement or arrangement.
 
    "INVESTMENT"  means, with respect to any  Person (such Person being referred
to in this definition as the "Investor"),  (i) any amount paid by the  Investor,
directly or indirectly, or any transfer of Property by the Investor, directly or
indirectly (such amount to be the Fair Market Value of such Property at the time
of  transfer by the Investor), to any other Person for Capital Stock of, or as a
capital contribution to, any other Person  and (ii) any direct or indirect  loan
or  advance by the Investor to any  other Person (other than accounts receivable
of such Investor arising in the ordinary course of business).
 
    "JOINT VENTURE" means any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) in
which any Person other than the Company  or any of its Subsidiaries has a  joint
or shared equity interest with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
    "LIEN"  means  any  mortgage,  lien (statutory  or  other),  charge, pledge,
hypothecation, conditional  sales  agreement,  adverse  claim,  title  retention
agreement  or other security interest, encumbrance or  title defect in or on, or
any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or
of such  Person  under  any  conditional sale,  trust  receipt  or  other  title
retention agreement with respect to, any Property or asset of such Person.
 
    "MATERIAL ACQUISITION" means any merger, consolidation, acquisition or lease
of   assets,  acquisition  of  securities   or  other  business  combination  or
acquisition, or any two or  more such transactions if part  of a common plan  to
acquire  a business or group  of businesses, if the  assets thus acquired in the
aggregate would have constituted a Material Subsidiary if they had been acquired
by a Subsidiary, based upon the consolidated financial statements of the Company
and its  Subsidiaries  for the  most  recent  fiscal year  for  which  financial
statements are available.
 
    "MATERIAL  SUBSIDIARY" means, with respect to  the Company at any time, each
existing Subsidiary and each Subsidiary  hereafter acquired or formed which  (i)
for  the most recent fiscal  year of the Company  for which financial statements
are available  accounted for  more  than 10%  of  the consolidated  revenues  of
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
the  Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) as at the end of such fiscal year, was
the owner (beneficial or otherwise) of more than 10% of the consolidated  assets
of  the Company and its Subsidiaries, all as shown on the consolidated financial
statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year.
 
    "MATURITY," when used with respect to any Security, means the date on  which
the  principal of such Security  or an installment of  principal becomes due and
payable as provided in such Security or in the Indenture, whether at the  Stated
Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
 
    "OUTSTANDING,"  when used with respect to  Securities, means, as of the date
of determination, all Securities  theretofore authenticated and delivered  under
the Indenture, except:
 
        (1)  Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the
    Trustee for cancellation;
 
        (2) Securities for whose  payment or redemption  money in the  necessary
    amount  has been theretofore deposited with  the Trustee or any Paying Agent
    (other than the Company) in  trust or set aside  and segregated in trust  by
    the  Company (if  the Company  shall act  as its  own Paying  Agent) for the
    Holders of such  Securities; PROVIDED  that, if  such Securities  are to  be
    redeemed,  notice of  such redemption  has been  duly given  pursuant to the
    Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;
 
        (3)  Securities  as  to  which  the  Company's  obligations  have   been
    discharged as provided in Article 8 of the Indenture; and
 
        (4)  Securities which  have been  paid pursuant  to Section  3.08 of the
    Indenture or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have  been
    authenticated  and delivered pursuant to the  Indenture, other than any such
    Securities in  respect of  which  there shall  have  been presented  to  the
    Trustee  proof satisfactory to  it that such  Securities are held  by a bona
    fide purchaser in whose hands such  Securities are valid obligations of  the
    Company;
 
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that  in determining  whether the  Holders of  the requisite
principal amount of  the Outstanding Securities  have given, made  or taken  any
request,  demand,  authorization, direction,  notice,  consent, waiver  or other
action hereunder  as  of  any date,  Securities  owned  by the  Company  or  any
Affiliate shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in
determining  whether the  Trustee shall  be protected  in relying  upon any such
request, demand,  authorization, direction,  notice,  consent, waiver  or  other
action,  only Securities  which the  Trustee knows  to be  so owned  shall be so
disregarded. Securities so owned  which have been pledged  in good faith may  be
regarded  as Outstanding if  the pledgee establishes to  the satisfaction of the
Trustee the pledgee's right so to act  with respect to such Securities and  that
the pledgee is not the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.
 
    "PROPERTY"  means any  interest in  any kind  of property  or asset, whether
real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.
 
    "QUALIFIED INVESTMENT" means the following  kinds of instruments if, on  the
date  of purchase or other acquisition of  any such instrument by the Company or
any Subsidiary the remaining term to maturity thereof is not more than one year:
(i) obligations  issued  or  unconditionally  guaranteed  as  to  principal  and
interest  by  the  United  States  of America  or  by  any  agency  or authority
controlled or  supervised by  and acting  as an  instrumentality of  the  United
States  of America; (ii)  obligations (including, but not  limited to, demand or
time deposits, bankers' acceptances and certificates of deposit) issued by (a) a
depository institution  or trust  company  incorporated under  the laws  of  the
United  States of America, any state thereof  or the District of Columbia, (b) a
United States branch office or agency  of any foreign depository institution  or
(c)  wholly owned Subsidiaries of any  U.S. depository institution guaranteed by
such U.S. bank  or depository, PROVIDED  that such U.S.  bank, trust company  or
United  States branch office or agency has, at  the time of the Company's or any
Subsidiary's investment  therein or  contractual commitment  providing for  such
investment,  capital,  surplus or  undivided  profits (as  of  the date  of such
institution's most recently  published financial statements)  in excess of  $100
million   and  the  long-term  unsecured   debt  obligations  (other  than  such
obligations  rated   on   the   basis   of   the   credit   of   a   person   or
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
entity  other than  such institution)  of such institution,  at the  time of the
Company's or  any  Subsidiary's  investment therein  or  contractual  commitment
providing  for  such  investment, is  rated  at  least A  by  Standard  & Poor's
Corporation or A3 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.; and (iii) debt obligations
(including, but not limited to, commercial  paper and medium term notes)  issued
or  unconditionally guaranteed as to principal  and interest by any corporation,
state or municipal government or  agency or instrumentality thereof, or  foreign
sovereignty  if the  commercial paper  of such  corporation, state  or municipal
government or  foreign sovereignty  has, at  the time  of the  Company's or  any
Subsidiary's  investment therein  or contractual  commitment providing  for such
investment, credit ratings  of A-1 by  Standard & Poor's  Corporation or P-1  by
Moody's  Investors Service, Inc.,  or the debt  obligations of such corporation,
state or  municipal  government or  foreign  sovereignty,  at the  time  of  the
Company's  or  any  Subsidiary's investment  therein  or  contractual commitment
providing for such investment, have credit ratings  of at least A by Standard  &
Poor's Corporation or A3 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
 
    "REDEEMABLE  DIVIDEND"  means,  for  any  dividend  payable  with  regard to
Redeemable Stock, the quotient of the dividend divided by the difference between
one and the maximum  statutory federal income tax  rate (expressed as a  decimal
number between 1 and 0) then applicable to the issuer of such Redeemable Stock.
 
    "REDEEMABLE  STOCK" means, with  respect to any  Person, any equity security
that by its terms or  otherwise is required to be  redeemed or is redeemable  at
the option of the holder at any time prior to the maturity of the Securities.
 
    "RESTRICTED PAYMENT" means (i) a dividend or other distribution declared and
paid  on the Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than
dividends or distributions  consisting of shares  of the Capital  Stock of  such
entity  (or  rights or  warrants to  subscribe  for or  purchase shares  of such
Capital Stock) and other  than dividends or distributions  declared and paid  by
any  Subsidiary to the Company  or to any other  direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) a payment made by the Company, any Subsidiary or
any Unrestricted Subsidiary  (other than to  the Company or  any Subsidiary)  to
purchase,  redeem, acquire or retire any Capital Stock of the Company (or rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase shares of such Capital Stock) or  (iii)
a  payment made  by the Company,  any Subsidiary or  any Unrestricted Subsidiary
(other than to the Company or any  Subsidiary) to acquire, retire or redeem  any
debt of or equity interest in or otherwise to make any Investment in any Control
Affiliate of the Company (other than a Subsidiary of the Company).
 
    "REVOLVING  CREDIT  FACILITY" means  the Loan  and Security  Agreement dated
March 5,  1993, among  the Company,  Quality Markets,  Inc., Dairy  Dell, Big  M
Supermarkets,  Inc., Penny Curtiss  Baking Company Inc.,  Hart Stores, Inc., the
lenders party thereto  and NatWest USA  Credit Corp., as  Agent, and any  credit
facility  that replaces such Loan and Security Agreement in whole or in part, or
any  credit  facility  secured  by  accounts  receivable,  inventory,  franchise
agreements   and  related  assets,  together  with  documents  related  thereto,
including, without limitation, any security agreements and pledge agreements, in
each case as such agreements may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.
 
    "SALE AND LEASEBACK  TRANSACTION" means any  direct or indirect  arrangement
with any Person or to which such Person is a party, providing for the leasing to
the  Company  or a  Subsidiary of  any Property,  whether owned  at the  date of
issuance of  a particular  series of  Securities pursuant  to the  Indenture  or
thereafter  acquired, which  has been  or is  to be  sold or  transferred by the
Company or such Subsidiary to such Person, or to any other Person to whom  funds
have  been  or are  to  be advanced  by  such Person,  on  the security  of such
Property.
 
    "STATED MATURITY," when used with respect to any Security or any installment
of principal  thereof or  interest thereon,  means the  date specified  in  such
Security  as the  fixed date  on which  the principal  of such  Security or such
installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
 
    "SUBSIDIARY" means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association
or other business entity of which  securities representing more than 50% of  the
combined voting power of the total Voting
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
Stock (or, in the case of an association or other business entity which is not a
corporation,  more than  50% of  the equity  interest) is  at the  time owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person  or one or more of the  other
Subsidiaries  of  that  Person  or  a  combination  thereof,  PROVIDED  that  an
Unrestricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed  to be a Subsidiary for purposes  of
the  Indenture. When  used herein  without reference  to any  Person, Subsidiary
means a Subsidiary of the Company.
 
    "SURVIVING CORPORATION" means  the corporation  formed by  or surviving  any
consolidation  or merger involving the  Company or to which  a transfer, sale or
lease of all or substantially all of the Company's Property is made.
 
    "TRANSACTION DATE" means the date of the transaction giving rise to the need
to calculate the  Consolidated Interest  Coverage Ratio, PROVIDED  that if  such
transaction  is related to or in connection  with any acquisition of any Person,
the Transaction Date shall be the earlier  of (i) the date on which the  Company
or  any of its Subsidiaries enters into  an agreement with such Person to effect
such acquisition, (ii) the date on which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
first  makes a public announcement of such  acquisition or any offer or proposal
to effect such acquisition, (iii)  the date on which the  Company or any of  its
Subsidiaries  first makes a filing with the  SEC or the Federal Trade Commission
in connection with any proposed acquisition  and (iv) the date such  acquisition
is  consummated, PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  that if subsequent to  the occurrence of an
event described in clause  (i), (ii) or  (iii) above or clause  (A), (B) or  (C)
below  the Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries shall  amend the  terms of such
acquisition with respect to the consideration  payable by the Company or any  of
its Subsidiaries in connection with such acquisition, the Transaction Date shall
be  the earlier of (A) the date on  which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
enters into  a  binding  written  agreement with  such  Person  to  effect  such
acquisition  on such amended terms, (B) the date  on which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries makes a public announcement of any offer or proposal to  effect
such  acquisition on such amended terms and (C) the date on which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries first makes a filing disclosing such amended terms  with
the  SEC  or  the  Federal  Trade Commission  in  connection  with  any proposed
acquisition. The second  proviso above  shall not be  applicable if,  as of  the
initial  Transaction Date  with respect  to any  acquisition, the  Company could
incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the terms  described
below  in the first paragraph of "Limitation  on Indebtedness" in respect of the
Senior  Indenture  or  the  Subordinated  Indenture,  as  applicable,  when  the
Consolidated  Interest Coverage Ratio of the  Company is calculated on the basis
of the amended terms of such acquisition and the Indebtedness to be incurred  by
the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection therewith.
 
    "TRUSTEE"  means  the party  named as  such  in the  first paragraph  of the
applicable Indenture, unless  and until  a successor replaces  it in  accordance
with  the terms of the Indenture and thereafter, "Trustee" shall mean or include
each Person who is then a Trustee thereunder,  and if at any time there is  more
than  one such Person, "Trustee"  as used with respect  to the Securities of any
series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.
 
    "UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" means  (i) any corporation,  association or  other
business  entity  which would  be a  Subsidiary  but for  its designation  as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary by the  Board of Directors of  the Company at or  before
the  time of  determination as  provided below,  and (ii)  any Subsidiary  of an
Unrestricted Subsidiary. The  Board of  Directors may  designate any  Subsidiary
(including  any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted
Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary owns any Capital Stock of or owns or holds any
Lien on any Property of the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company which
is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated, PROVIDED that  either
(x) the Subsidiary to be so designated has total assets of $1,000 or less or (y)
immediately   after  giving  pro  forma  effect  to  such  designation  (1)  the
Consolidated Interest Coverage  Ratio would  be greater than  1.7 to  1 and  (2)
there would not exist any Default under the Indenture. The Board of Directors of
the  Company  may  designate any  Unrestricted  Subsidiary to  be  a Subsidiary,
PROVIDED that, immediately after  giving pro forma  effect to such  designation,
(1)  the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio would be greater than 1.7 to 1 and
(2) there would not exist any Default under the Indenture.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
    "VOTING STOCK"  means  any  class  of  Capital  Stock  of  any  Person  then
outstanding  normally entitled  to vote in  elections of  directors, managers or
trustees of any such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of
any class or  classes will  have or  might have voting  power by  reason of  the
happening of any contingency).
 
    "10 1/4% SENIOR NOTES" means the Company's 10 1/4% Senior Notes due February
15, 2002.
 
    "10  3/8%  SENIOR NOTES"  means  the outstanding  10  3/8% Senior  Notes due
October 1, 2004 of the Company.
 
    "11 1/2%  SENIOR NOTES"  means  the outstanding  11  1/2% Senior  Notes  due
October 15, 2001 of the Company.
 
    "13  3/4% SENIOR  SUBORDINATED NOTES" means  the outstanding  13 3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due June 15, 1999 of the Company.
 
    "9 5/8%  SENIOR SUBORDINATED  NOTES"  means the  outstanding 9  5/8%  Senior
Subordinated Notes due April 15, 2005 of the Company.
 
    The following definitions are applicable to the Senior Indenture only:
 
    "ADDITIONAL  ASSETS" means any  Property or assets  substantially related to
the Company's primary  business and,  in the case  of proceeds  received by  the
Company  from the sale of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, shall
also mean Investments in another Unrestricted Subsidiary.
 
    "NET PROCEEDS" means, with respect to an Asset Sale by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries,  (i)  the  gross  proceeds received  by  the  Company  or  its
Subsidiary  in  connection  with such  Asset  Sale  (the amount  of  any noncash
consideration received  as  proceeds  to  be  the  Fair  Market  Value  of  such
consideration,  PROVIDED  that liabilities  assumed by  the  buyer shall  not be
deemed proceeds received by the Company or its Subsidiary), less (ii) the sum of
(a) reasonable fees and expenses incurred  by the Company or such Subsidiary  in
connection  with  such Asset  Sale, (b)  taxes  payable by  the Company  or such
Subsidiary as a result of and in connection with such Asset Sale, including  any
tax  on  income resulting  from  the gain  realized  from such  Asset  Sale, (c)
payments made with respect to liabilities  associated with the assets which  are
the subject of the Asset Sale, including, without limitation, trade payables and
other  accrued liabilities, and  payments made to  retire Indebtedness where the
assets disposed  of in  such Asset  Sale constituted  security for  or had  been
pledged to secure such Indebtedness and payment of such Indebtedness is required
in connection with such Asset Sale and (d) appropriate amounts to be provided by
the  Company or  any Subsidiary thereof,  as the case  may be, as  a reserve, in
accordance  with   generally  accepted   accounting  principles,   against   any
liabilities  associated  with such  assets and  retained by  the Company  or any
Subsidiary thereof,  as the  case  may be,  after  such Asset  Sale,  including,
without  limitation,  liabilities  under  any  indemnification  obligations  and
severance and other employee termination costs associated with such Asset Sale.
 
    "OTHER SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS" means, at any date, outstanding Indebtedness  of
the  Company, other than the  Senior Debt Securities, that  is PARI PASSU in any
respect in right of payment with the Senior Debt Securities, including,  without
limitation,  the 10  1/4% Senior Notes,  the 10  3/8% Senior Notes,  the 11 1/2%
Senior Notes and Indebtedness outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility.
 
    "SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS" means,  at any date,  any outstanding Indebtedness  of
the  Company that  is PARI  PASSU in any  respect in  right of  payment with the
Senior Debt Securities.
 
    "SUBORDINATED DEBT" means, at any  date, (i) outstanding Indebtedness  under
the  13 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes and  the 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes
and (ii)  any other  Indebtedness of  the Company  that is  subordinated in  any
respect  in right of payment  to the Senior Debt  Securities or any Other Senior
Indebtedness including, without limitation, as to principal, premium,  interest,
fees, indemnities and amounts in respect of claims and rights of rescission.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
    The following definitions are applicable to the Subordinated Indenture only:
 
    "CASH  EQUIVALENT" means, at any time, (i) any evidence of Indebtedness with
a maturity  of 180  days or  less issued  or directly  and fully  guaranteed  or
insured by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof
(provided  that the  full faith and  credit of  the United States  of America is
pledged in support thereof); (ii) certificates of deposit or acceptances with  a
maturity  of 180 days or  less of any financial institution  that is a member of
the Federal Reserve  System having  combined capital and  surplus and  undivided
profits of not less than $500,000,000; (iii) commercial paper with a maturity of
180 days or less issued by a corporation that is not an Affiliate of the Company
organized  under the laws  of any state of  the United States  of America or the
District of Columbia and rated at least A-1 by Standard & Poor's Corporation  or
at  least P-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.; and (iv) repurchase agreements
and reverse  repurchase agreements  relating  to marketable  direct  obligations
issued  or unconditionally guaranteed by the  government of the United States of
America or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and  credit
of  the United States of America, in each case maturing within one year from the
date of acquisition; PROVIDED that the  terms of such agreement comply with  the
guidelines   set  forth  in  the  Federal  Financial  Agreements  of  Depository
Institutions With Securities Dealers and  Others, as adopted by the  Comptroller
of the Currency on October 31, 1985.
 
    "DESIGNATED SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS" means (i) all Senior Indebtedness under the
Revolving   Credit  Facility,   (ii)  Indebtedness  evidenced   by  Senior  Debt
Securities; (iii) the 10 1/4% Senior Notes,  (iv) the 10 3/8% Senior Notes,  (v)
the  11 1/2% Senior Notes and (vi)  any other Senior Indebtedness in an original
principal amount  of  not less  than  $10 million  which,  at the  time  of  the
incurrence  of such Indebtedness,  is specifically designated  in the instrument
evidencing such Senior Indebtedness as  "Designated Senior Indebtedness" by  the
Company  and in respect of  which a resolution of the  Board of Directors of the
Company setting forth such  designation by the Company  has been filed with  the
Trustee.
 
    "SENIOR  INDEBTEDNESS"  means,  at  any  date,  (i)  Indebtedness  under the
Revolving Credit Facility, including interest  thereon accruing on or after  the
filing  of  any petition  in bankruptcy  or for  reorganization of  the Company,
whether or  not  a  claim  for  post-petition  interest  is  allowed  under  the
Bankruptcy  Code, and  all other  obligations and  indemnities owing thereunder,
(ii) Indebtedness  arising as  a  result of  Interest  Swap Obligations  of  the
Company, (iii) any other Indebtedness of the Company for money borrowed or under
letters  of credit, whether created, incurred, assumed or Guaranteed on or prior
to the  date  of the  Indenture  or  thereafter incurred,  created,  assumed  or
Guaranteed,  other than  the Senior  Subordinated Debt  Securities, the  13 3/4%
Senior Subordinated Notes and the 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes and (iv)  any
renewals,   extensions,  modifications,  amendments   or  refundings  of  Senior
Indebtedness; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  the  following shall  not  constitute  Senior
Indebtedness:  (A)  any Indebtedness  owed to  a  person when  such person  is a
Subsidiary of the Company;  (B) any Indebtedness  incurred, created, assumed  or
Guaranteed  in violation of the Subordinated  Indenture; or (C) any Indebtedness
which is  subordinated  in  right  of  payment  in  any  respect  to  any  other
Indebtedness  of the  Company. For  purposes of  this definition, "Indebtedness"
includes any obligation  to pay principal,  premium (if any)  and interest.  For
purposes  of this definition, "Indebtedness"  does not include Capitalized Lease
Obligations.
 
    "SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE" means the agent under the Revolving Credit  Facility
or  any other representative, designated in writing to the Trustee in respect of
any series of Senior Subordinated Debt  Securities, of the holders of any  class
of Designated Senior Indebtedness.
 
    "SUBORDINATED  DEBT" means, at any  date, (i) outstanding Indebtedness under
the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities; (ii) outstanding Indebtedness under the
13 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes and  the 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes  and
(iii)  any other Indebtedness of the Company that is subordinated in any respect
in right of payment to any Senior Debt Securities, the 10 1/4% Senior Notes, the
10 3/8% Senior Notes, the 11 1/2% Senior Notes, the Revolving Credit Facility or
any other Senior Indebtedness including, without limitation, principal, premium,
interest, fees,  indemnities and  amounts in  respect of  claims and  rights  of
rescission.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
FORM, EXCHANGE AND TRANSFER
 
    The  Securities of  each series  will be  issuable only  in fully registered
form, without  coupons,  and,  unless  otherwise  specified  in  the  applicable
Prospectus  Supplement, only in  denominations of $1,000  and integral multiples
thereof.
 
    At the option of the Holder, subject  to the terms of the Indenture and  the
limitations  applicable to Global Securities, Securities  of each series will be
exchangeable  for  other  Securities  of  the  same  series  of  any  authorized
denomination and of a like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
 
    Subject  to the  terms of  the Indenture  and the  limitations applicable to
Global Securities, Securities may be presented for exchange as provided above or
for registration  of  transfer (duly  endorsed  or  with the  form  of  transfer
endorsed  thereon duly executed) at the office of the Registrar or at the office
of any transfer  agent designated by  the Company for  such purpose. No  service
charge  will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities,
but the Company  may require payment  of a sum  sufficient to cover  any tax  or
other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
 
    If  the Securities of any series (or  of any series and specified terms) are
to be redeemed in part, the Company will not be required to (i) issue,  register
the  transfer of or exchange any Security of  that series (or of that series and
specified terms, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of
business 15 days before the  day of any selection  of Securities of such  series
for  redemption and ending  at the close of  business on the day  of such day of
selection or (ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Security so  selected
for  redemption in whole  or in part  except the unredeemed  portion of any such
Security being redeemed in part.
 
GLOBAL SECURITIES
 
    Some or all of the Securities of  any series may be represented in whole  or
in  part by one or more Global Securities which will have an aggregate principal
amount equal to that of the Securities represented thereby. Each Global Security
will be registered in the name of  a Depositary or a nominee thereof  identified
in  the applicable Prospectus Supplement, will be deposited with such Depositary
or nominee  or  a  custodian therefor  and  will  bear a  legend  regarding  the
restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer thereof referred to below
and any such other matters as may be provided for pursuant to the Indenture.
 
    Notwithstanding any provision of any Indenture or Security described herein,
no  Global  Security  may  be  exchanged in  whole  or  in  part  for Securities
registered, and no  transfer of a  Global Security in  whole or in  part may  be
registered,  in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global
Security or  any nominee  of  such Depositary,  unless  (i) the  Depositary  has
notified  the Company that it  is unwilling or unable  to continue as Depositary
for such  Global Security  or has  ceased  to be  qualified to  act as  such  as
required  by the Indenture, (ii) there shall  have occurred and be continuing an
Event of  Default with  respect to  the Securities  represented by  such  Global
Security  or (iii) there shall exist such  circumstances, if any, in addition to
or in  lieu of  those described  above as  may be  described in  the  applicable
Prospectus  Supplement. All Securities issued in  exchange for a Global Security
or any portion thereof will  be registered in such  names as the Depositary  may
direct.
 
    As  long as the  Depositary, or its  nominee, is the  registered Holder of a
Global Security, the Depositary  or such nominee,  as the case  may be, will  be
considered  the sole owner and Holder of such Global Security and the Securities
represented thereby for  all purposes  under the Securities  and the  applicable
Indenture.  Except in  the limited  circumstances referred  to above,  owners of
beneficial interests in  a Global  Security will not  be entitled  to have  such
Global Security or any Securities represented thereby registered in their names,
will  not receive  or be entitled  to receive physical  delivery of certificated
Securities in exchange therefor and will not  be considered to be the owners  or
Holders  of such Global  Security or any Securities  represented thereby for any
purpose under  the  Securities or  the  applicable Indenture.  All  payments  of
principal  of and  any premium and  interest on  a Global Security  will be made
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the Holder thereof. The
laws of some jurisdictions  require that certain  purchasers of securities  take
physical  delivery of such securities in  definitive form. These laws may impair
the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Security.
 
    Ownership of beneficial interests  in a Global Security  will be limited  to
institutions   that   have  accounts   with  the   Depositary  or   its  nominee
("participants") and  to  persons that  may  hold beneficial  interests  through
participants.  In  connection  with the  issuance  of any  Global  Security, the
Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system,  the
respective principal amounts of Securities represented by the Global Security to
the  accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global
Security will be shown  only on, and the  transfer of those ownership  interests
will  be  effected  only through,  records  maintained by  the  Depositary (with
respect to participants'  interests) or  any such participant  (with respect  to
interests  of  persons held  by such  participants  on their  behalf). Payments,
transfers, exchanges and  other matters  relating to beneficial  interests in  a
Global Security may be subject to various policies and procedures adopted by the
Depositary  from time to time. None of the  Company, any Trustee or any agent of
the Company or any  Trustee (including without limitation  the Registrar or  the
Paying  Agent) will have any  responsibility or liability for  any aspect of the
Depositary's or any participant's records relating  to, or for payments made  on
account  of,  beneficial interests  in a  Global  Security, or  for maintaining,
supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.
 
    Secondary trading in notes and debentures of corporate issuers is  generally
settled  in clearing-house or next-day  funds. In contrast, beneficial interests
in a Global  Security, in  some cases, may  trade in  the Depositary's  same-day
funds  settlement system,  in which secondary  market trading  activity in those
beneficial  interests  would  be  required  by  the  Depositary  to  settle   in
immediately  available funds. There  is no assurance  as to the  effect, if any,
that settlement in immediately available funds would have on trading activity in
such  beneficial  interests.  Also,  settlement  for  purchases  of   beneficial
interests  in  a  Global Security  upon  the  original issuance  thereof  may be
required to be made in immediately available funds.
 
PAYMENT AND PAYING AGENTS
 
    Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement,  payment
of  interest on  a Security  on any interest  payment date  will be  made to the
Person in whose name  such Security (or one  or more predecessor securities)  is
registered  at  the  close of  business  on  the regular  record  date  for such
interest.
 
    Principal and premium, if  any, will be payable  at the principal  corporate
trust  office of the Trustee in The City of  New York or at such other places in
The City of New York as the Company may designate, and may be paid by check.  At
the  option of the  Company, interest, if  any, payable on  any interest payment
date may be  paid at  the corporate  trust office of  the Trustee  or by  checks
mailed to the Holders at their registered addresses.
 
    Unless  otherwise  specified  in  the  accompanying  Prospectus  Supplement,
Bankers Trust Company,  a New York  banking corporation, initially  will act  as
Paying Agent and Registrar.
 
REDEMPTION
 
    The date, if any, after which and the price or prices at which any series of
Securities may be redeemed at the option of the Company will be set forth in the
Prospectus  Supplement. Holders will be  given at least 30  and not more than 60
days' prior notice, mailed by first-class mail to the holders' last addresses as
they shall  appear upon  the register  of any  such optional  redemption by  the
Company.  If less  than all  the Securities  of any  series are  to be redeemed,
selection of Securities for  redemption will be  made pro rata, by  lot or in  a
manner selected by the Trustee or the Registrar for such series of Securities.
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
CERTAIN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
 
    COMMON INDENTURE COVENANTS
 
    Each  of the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture contains, among
others, the following  covenants, which shall  be applicable to  each series  of
Securities  issued  under  either  the  Senior  Indenture  or  the  Subordinated
Indenture, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    RESTRICTED PAYMENTS. Each Indenture provides that the Company shall not, nor
will it permit any of its Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries to, make any
Restricted Payment  if,  after  giving  effect  thereto,  with  respect  to  any
particular  series  of  Securities issued  pursuant  to the  Indenture,  (i) any
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) the Company could not  incur
at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the limitations described in the
first  paragraph  of  "Limitation  on Indebtedness"  in  respect  of  the Senior
Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture,  as applicable, or (iii) the  aggregate
of  such  payments made  by the  Company and  its Subsidiaries  and Unrestricted
Subsidiaries subsequent to  the date of  issuance of such  series of  Securities
would  exceed the sum of  (x) 50% (or minus  100% in the event  of a deficit) of
aggregate Consolidated Net Income  of the Company for  the period commencing  on
the  date established for this purpose by the Board Resolution setting forth the
terms of such  series of Securities  and ending on  the last day  of the  fiscal
quarter  immediately preceding the  date of such Restricted  Payment and (y) the
aggregate net proceeds,  including cash and  the Fair Market  Value of  Property
other  than cash, received by the Company  subsequent to the date of issuance of
such  series  of  Securities  from   capital  contributions  from  any  of   its
stockholders  or  from the  issuance  or sale  (other  than to  a  Subsidiary or
Unrestricted Subsidiary) subsequent to  the date of issuance  of such series  of
Securities  of shares of its  Capital Stock of any  class, other than Redeemable
Stock (or rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase shares of such Capital
Stock, other than  Redeemable Stock) or  of any convertible  securities or  debt
obligations  which have been  converted into, exchanged for  or satisfied by the
issuance of shares of Capital Stock  of any class, other than Redeemable  Stock.
For purposes of computing the amount in clause (iii) above, the determination of
Consolidated Net Income of the Company for any fiscal period ending prior to the
date  established for  this purpose  by the  Board Resolution  setting forth the
terms of such  series of  Securities shall exclude  the deduction  of an  amount
equal  to the aggregate charges (net of  applicable tax) incurred by the Company
related to the  repurchase or  retirement of  Indebtedness prior  to its  stated
maturity.
 
    The  foregoing limitations do not prevent the Company from paying a dividend
on Capital Stock of any class within  60 days after the declaration thereof  if,
on  the date when  the dividend was  declared, the Company  could have paid such
dividend in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.
 
    The Indenture does not prevent the  Company from repurchasing shares of  its
Capital  Stock in  the following  situations: (a)  solely in  exchange for other
shares of  Capital  Stock  (other  than  Redeemable  Stock);  (b)  to  eliminate
fractional  shares; (c) redemptions or repurchases of common stock in connection
with repurchase  provisions  under  employee  stock  option  or  stock  purchase
agreements  or  other  agreements  to  compensate  management  employees  of the
Company; or  (d) pursuant  to a  court  order. Payments  made pursuant  to  this
paragraph  shall  be included  in all  subsequent  computations relating  to any
Restricted Payment. Aggregate amounts paid pursuant to subclause (b) above shall
not exceed $250,000 in any fiscal year.
 
    LIMITATION ON INVESTMENTS.  Each Indenture provides  that the Company  shall
not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Investment in (i)
any  Unrestricted Subsidiary  or (ii)  an Affiliate  (other than  a wholly owned
Subsidiary) that is not  a Control Affiliate unless,  as determined at the  date
such  Investment is made and after giving  effect thereto, (a) the Company could
incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the limitations  described
in  the first paragraph of "Limitation on Indebtedness" in respect of the Senior
Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture, as applicable, and (b) there would  not
exist  any Default under such Indenture. The Company may not, and may not permit
any
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
Subsidiary or Unrestricted  Subsidiary to,  make any Investment  in any  Control
Affiliate other than in compliance with the provisions of the Indenture relating
to Restricted Payments, as described under "Restricted Payments" above.
 
    TRANSACTIONS  WITH AFFILIATES. Each Indenture provides that, with respect to
any particular  series  of Securities  issued  pursuant to  the  Indenture,  the
Company shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, following the date of
issuance  of  such series  of Securities,  enter into  any transaction  with any
Affiliate (other  than the  Company or  a Subsidiary)  unless (i)  the Board  of
Directors of the Company determines, in its reasonable good faith judgment, that
such  transaction is  in the  best interests of  the Company  or such Subsidiary
based on full disclosure of all  relevant facts and circumstances and (ii)  such
transaction is on terms no less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary than
those  that could be obtained  in a comparable arms'  length transaction with an
entity that is not an Affiliate.
 
    LIMITATION ON PAYMENT  RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING  SUBSIDIARIES. Each  Indenture
provides  that the Company  shall not, and  shall not permit  any Subsidiary to,
create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any  consensual
encumbrance  or  restriction  which  encumbrance  or  restriction  by  its terms
expressly restricts the ability of any  such Subsidiary to (i) pay dividends  or
make  any  other distributions  on such  Subsidiary's Capital  Stock or  pay any
Indebtedness owed  to the  Company or  any Subsidiary,  (ii) make  any loans  or
advances  to the Company or any Subsidiary or (iii) transfer any of its Property
to the Company or any Subsidiary, other  than, with respect to clauses (ii)  and
(iii), encumbrances or restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument (a)
with  respect  to any  particular series  of Securities  issued pursuant  to the
Indenture, relating  to  any  Indebtedness  of the  Company  or  any  Subsidiary
existing  on the date of issuance of such series of Securities; (b) with respect
to any  particular  series  of  Securities issued  pursuant  to  the  Indenture,
relating  to any  Property acquired  by the Company  or any  of its Subsidiaries
after the date  of issuance  of such series  of Securities,  PROVIDED that  such
encumbrance  or restriction relates only to  the Property which is acquired and,
in the case of any encumbrance or restriction that constitutes a Lien, that  the
Company  would  be  permitted  to  incur such  Lien;  (c)  relating  to  (x) any
industrial revenue or development  bonds, (y) any obligation  of the Company  or
any  Subsidiary incurred in the ordinary course  of business to pay the purchase
price of Property acquired by the Company  or such Subsidiary and (z) any  lease
of  Property  by  the Company  or  such  Subsidiary in  the  ordinary  course of
business, PROVIDED  that such  encumbrance or  restriction relates  only to  the
Property  which is the  subject of such industrial  revenue or development bond,
such Property purchased or such Property leased and any such lease, as the  case
may  be;  (d) relating  to any  Indebtedness of  any Subsidiary  at the  date of
acquisition of such Subsidiary by the Company or any Subsidiary of the  Company,
PROVIDED  that  such Indebtedness  was  not incurred  in  connection with  or in
anticipation of such acquisition, and PROVIDED FURTHER that the Company would be
permitted to incur  any Lien  securing such  Indebtedness; or  (e) replacing  or
refinancing  of any agreement  or instrument referred  to in clause  (a), (b) or
(c), PROVIDED that the  provisions relating to  such encumbrance or  restriction
contained  in any such replacement or refinancing agreement or instrument are no
more restrictive than the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction
contained in such original agreement or instrument.
 
    INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. Each Indenture  provides that the Company shall  not
become an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940.
 
    SENIOR INDENTURE COVENANTS
 
    In  addition to the  covenants set forth  under "Common Indenture Covenants"
above, the Senior  Indenture contains  the following covenants,  which shall  be
applicable  to  each series  of Securities  issued  under the  Senior Indenture,
unless otherwise provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement:
 
    LIMITATION ON INDEBTEDNESS. The Senior  Indenture provides that the  Company
shall not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume,
Guarantee  or otherwise become liable with respect to, or become responsible for
the payment  of,  any Indebtedness  unless,  after giving  effect  thereto,  the
Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio of the Company would be greater than 1.7 to
1.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
    Notwithstanding  the foregoing, the Company  and its Subsidiaries may incur,
create, assume or Guarantee or otherwise  become liable with respect to, any  or
all of the following:
 
        (i)  with respect to any particular series of Securities issued pursuant
    to the Senior Indenture, Indebtedness  issued pursuant to either the  Senior
    Indenture  or the Subordinated Indenture at or prior to the issuance of such
    series of Securities;
 
        (ii) Indebtedness evidenced by the 10 1/4% Senior Notes, 10 3/8%  Senior
    Notes,  11 1/2% Senior Notes,  13 3/4% Senior Subordinated  Notes and 9 5/8%
    Senior Subordinated Notes;
 
        (iii) Indebtedness in an aggregate amount  not to exceed the sum of  65%
    of  the total inventory of the Company and its Subsidiaries (calculated on a
    "first-in, first-out" basis) and 85% of the total accounts receivable of the
    Company and its Subsidiaries;
 
        (iv) Indebtedness the proceeds of which are used to refinance (w) all or
    a portion of the Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture, (x) all
    or a  portion of  the 10  1/4% Senior  Notes, the  10 3/8%  Senior Notes  or
    11  1/2% Senior  Notes, (y) Indebtedness  of its Subsidiaries  and any other
    Indebtedness of  the  Company  that  is PARI  PASSU  with  the  Senior  Debt
    Securities (other than Indebtedness incurred, created, assumed or Guaranteed
    under  clause (iii) above) or (z)  successor or replacement Indebtedness, in
    each case  in a  principal amount  not  to exceed  the principal  amount  so
    refinanced  (or, if such  Indebtedness provides for an  amount less than the
    principal amount  thereof  to be  due  and  payable upon  a  declaration  of
    acceleration  of the  maturity thereof, in  an amount not  greater than such
    lesser amount) plus  any prepayment  penalties and  premiums (including  the
    contractual premiums and any premium reasonably determined by the Company as
    necessary  to  accomplish such  refinancing by  means of  a tender  offer or
    privately negotiated  repurchases),  accrued  and  unpaid  interest  on  the
    Indebtedness  so refinanced, plus customary fees, expenses and costs related
    to the incurrence of  such refinancing Indebtedness,  PROVIDED that, in  the
    case  of this  clause (iv),  (1) with  respect to  any particular  series of
    Securities issued pursuant  to the  Senior Indenture, if  the Securities  of
    such  series are refinanced in part, such new Indebtedness is expressly made
    PARI PASSU or subordinate in right of payment to the remaining Securities of
    such series, and (2) if the Indebtedness  to be refinanced is PARI PASSU  in
    right  of payment to the Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture,
    such new Indebtedness is expressly made  PARI PASSU or subordinate in  right
    of payment to the Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture;
 
        (v)   Indebtedness  the  proceeds   of  which  are   used  to  refinance
    Subordinated Debt, in  each case  in a principal  amount not  to exceed  the
    principal  amount so  refinanced (or, if  such Indebtedness  provides for an
    amount less than the principal amount thereof  to be due and payable upon  a
    declaration  of  acceleration  of the  maturity  thereof, in  an  amount not
    greater than such lesser amount) plus any prepayment penalties and  premiums
    (including the contractual premiums and any premium reasonably determined by
    the Company as necessary to accomplish such refinancing by means of a tender
    offer  or privately negotiated repurchases),  accrued and unpaid interest on
    the Indebtedness  so refinanced,  plus customary  fees, expenses  and  costs
    related  to the incurrence  of such refinancing  Indebtedness, PROVIDED that
    such new Indebtedness (a) is expressly made subordinate in right of  payment
    to  the Securities issued pursuant  to the Senior Indenture  at least to the
    extent that  the  Indebtedness  to  be  refinanced  is  subordinate  to  the
    Securities  issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture, (b) with respect to any
    particular series of  Securities issued  pursuant to  the Senior  Indenture,
    does not mature prior to the final scheduled maturity date of such series of
    Securities  and  (c) with  respect to  any  particular series  of Securities
    issued pursuant to  the Senior Indenture,  has an Average  Life equal to  or
    greater than the remaining Average Life of such series of Securities;
 
        (vi) with respect to any particular series of Securities issued pursuant
    to  the Senior Indenture,  Indebtedness of the  Company and its Subsidiaries
    remaining outstanding  immediately  after the  issuance  of such  series  of
    Securities;
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
        (vii)  Indebtedness of  the Company  to a  Subsidiary of  the Company or
    Indebtedness of a  Subsidiary of the  Company to the  Company or to  another
    Subsidiary of the Company;
 
        (viii)  Indebtedness  incurred  in  connection  with  the refurbishment,
    improvement, construction or acquisition  (whether by acquisition of  stock,
    assets  or otherwise)  of any  Property or  Properties of  the Company  or a
    Subsidiary of  the  Company that  constitute  a  part of  the  then  present
    business of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (or incurred within
    twelve   months  of  any   such  acquisition  or   the  completion  of  such
    refurbishment, improvement  or  construction),  PROVIDED  that  (a)(1)  such
    Indebtedness,  together  with  any other  Indebtedness  incurred  during the
    preceding twelve month period in reliance upon the exception of this  clause
    (viii),  does not exceed, in the aggregate, 3% of net sales and service fees
    of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding twelve-month period
    on a consolidated basis  and (2) such Indebtedness,  together with all  then
    outstanding  Indebtedness incurred  in reliance  upon the  exception of this
    clause (viii), does not  exceed, in the aggregate,  3% of the aggregate  net
    sales  and  service fees  of  the Company  and  its Subsidiaries  during the
    preceding thirty-six months on  a consolidated basis, in  each case as  such
    amounts  may be adjusted as  set forth below, or  (b) such Indebtedness does
    not exceed the  amount of proceeds  received by  the Company or  any of  its
    Subsidiaries  from  insurance  policies  maintained by  the  Company  or any
    Subsidiary in respect of such Property or Properties;
 
        (ix)  Indebtedness  consisting  of  Guarantees  by  the  Company  or   a
    Subsidiary  of the Company of  (a) other Indebtedness of  the Company or any
    such  Subsidiary,  PROVIDED  that  such  other  Indebtedness  is   otherwise
    permitted  under this covenant  limiting incurrence of  Indebtedness and (b)
    obligations of  customers of  the  franchise or  wholesale business  of  the
    Company  or a Subsidiary of the Company which Guarantees are in the ordinary
    course of business consistent with the  past practice of the Company or  its
    Subsidiaries;
 
        (x)  Indebtedness created by a  Lien to which Property  owned or held by
    the Company or  a Subsidiary of  the Company is  subject, PROVIDED that  the
    Indebtedness  secured is Indebtedness of the  Company or a Subsidiary of the
    Company which  is  otherwise  permitted under  this  covenant  limiting  the
    incurrence of Indebtedness;
 
        (xi) Indebtedness incurred in connection with a repurchase of Securities
    of  any  series issued  pursuant  to the  Senior  Indenture as  described in
    "Mergers and Consolidations; Change of Control" below and in connection with
    the repurchase of  any notes  of the Company  which require  the Company  to
    repurchase  such  notes in  the event  of  certain merger,  consolidation or
    change of  control transactions,  in an  aggregate principal  amount not  to
    exceed  the aggregate repayment  price (equal to  the repurchase price paid,
    including  premium  and  accrued  interest  thereon  through  the  date   of
    repurchase)  of such Securities and such other notes of the Company plus the
    amount  of  fees  and  expenses  associated  with  the  incurrence  of  such
    Indebtedness,  PROVIDED that  to the  extent any  such notes  of the Company
    which are required to  be so repurchased  constitute Subordinated Debt,  any
    new  Indebtedness incurred in  connection with the  repurchase of such notes
    (a) is expressly made subordinate to  the Securities issued pursuant to  the
    Senior  Indenture at least to the extent  that such notes are subordinate to
    the Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture, (b) with respect  to
    any particular series of Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture,
    does not mature prior to the final scheduled maturity date of such series of
    Securities  and  (c) with  respect to  any  particular series  of Securities
    issued pursuant to  the Senior Indenture,  has an Average  Life equal to  or
    greater than the remaining Average Life of such series of Securities;
 
        (xii)  Indebtedness under Interest Swap  Obligations, PROVIDED that such
    Interest Swap Obligations are related to payment obligations on Indebtedness
    otherwise  permitted  under  this   covenant  limiting  the  incurrence   of
    Indebtedness  and, in the aggregate, do not  relate to a principal amount of
    Indebtedness in excess  of the  Indebtedness permitted  under this  covenant
    limiting the incurrence of Indebtedness;
 
        (xiii)  commercial  letters  of  credit and  standby  letters  of credit
    incurred  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  by  the  Company  or  its
    Subsidiaries;
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
        (xiv)  Indebtedness  represented  by industrial  revenue  or development
    bonds, PROVIDED  that  the  aggregate amount  of  Indebtedness  incurred  in
    reliance upon the exception of this clause (xiv) shall not exceed at any one
    time an aggregate principal amount outstanding of $25 million;
 
        (xv)  Capitalized  Lease Obligations  relating to  Property used  in the
    business of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
 
        (xvi)  Indebtedness  incurred  in  respect  of  performance  bonds   and
    Guarantees  and  completion Guarantees  incurred in  the ordinary  course of
    business and refinancings thereof; and
 
        (xvii) Indebtedness  arising  from  the  honoring by  a  bank  or  other
    financial  institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently
    (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds
    in the  ordinary course  of  business, PROVIDED  that such  Indebtedness  is
    extinguished within five business days of its incurrence.
 
    The aggregate amounts of Indebtedness that the Company is permitted to incur
pursuant  to clause (viii) above shall be  reduced by the difference between (1)
the aggregate principal amount  of any mortgages that  the Company is deemed  to
have entered into in connection with any Sale and Leaseback Transaction that the
Company  is permitted  to enter  into under  the terms  of the  Senior Indenture
described under  "Limitation on  Sale and  Leaseback Transactions"  and (2)  the
aggregate  principal amount of  any Senior Indebtedness that  is repaid with the
Net Proceeds of any Sale and Leaseback Transactions that are entered into within
twelve  months   of  the   acquisition,  or   completion  of   construction   or
refurbishment, of the Property that is the subject of any such transaction.
 
    The  Senior Indenture contains no limitations  on the amount of Indebtedness
which any  Unrestricted  Subsidiary may  incur,  create, assume,  Guarantee,  or
otherwise become liable for.
 
    LIMITATION  ON LIENS. The Senior Indenture provides that neither the Company
nor any Subsidiary shall create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on or
with respect to any Property or assets of the Company or any such Subsidiary  or
any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom, except the following:
 
        (i)  with respect to any particular series of Securities issued pursuant
    to  the Senior Indenture,  any Lien existing  as of the  date of issuance of
    such series of Securities;
 
        (ii) any Lien on  the Company's or  a Subsidiary's accounts  receivable,
    inventories,  franchise  agreements, proprietary  rights and  related assets
    securing the Company's obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility;
 
        (iii) any Lien arising in the ordinary course of business, other than in
    connection with Indebtedness for borrowed money;
 
        (iv) any Lien on  the Company's or  a Subsidiary's accounts  receivable,
    inventories,  franchise  agreements, proprietary  rights and  related assets
    securing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the terms of the Senior
    Indenture described in clause  (iii) of the  second paragraph under  "Senior
    Indenture Covenants -- Limitation on Indebtedness" above;
 
        (v)  with respect to any particular series of Securities issued pursuant
    to the Senior Indenture, any Lien on Property acquired by the Company or any
    Subsidiary after the date of issuance  of such series of Securities  created
    solely  to  secure  Indebtedness  incurred to  finance  such  acquisition or
    assumed in  connection  with such  acquisition,  whether by  acquisition  of
    stock,  assets or otherwise (or entered into in connection with Indebtedness
    that is  permitted under  the terms  of the  Senior Indenture  described  in
    clause  (viii) of the second paragraph  under "Senior Indenture Covenants --
    Limitation on Indebtedness"),  PROVIDED that in  each case such  acquisition
    does not constitute a Material Acquisition;
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
        (vi)  any Lien  on Property  acquired by  the Company  or any Subsidiary
    which  constitutes  a   Material  Acquisition  created   solely  to   secure
    Indebtedness  incurred to  finance such  Material Acquisition  or assumed in
    connection with such Material Acquisition, PROVIDED that after giving effect
    to such  Indebtedness  the Consolidated  Interest  Coverage Ratio  would  be
    greater than 1.7 to 1;
 
        (vii)  any Lien on  any asset of  the Company or  any Subsidiary created
    solely  to  secure  Indebtedness  incurred  to  finance  the  refurbishment,
    improvement,  construction or acquisition (whether  by acquisition of stock,
    assets or otherwise) of such asset  (or created within twelve months of  any
    such  acquisition or  the completion  of such  refurbishment, improvement or
    construction) or relating  to Indebtedness assumed  in connection with  such
    acquisition,  PROVIDED that  such Lien secures  Indebtedness permitted under
    the terms of the Senior Indenture  described in clause (viii) of the  second
    paragraph under "Senior Indenture Covenants -- Limitation on Indebtedness";
 
        (viii)   any  Lien  created  in  connection  with  a  Capitalized  Lease
    Obligation that the Company or a Subsidiary is permitted to enter into under
    the terms  of the  Senior Indenture,  PROVIDED that  such Capitalized  Lease
    Obligation  relates to  Property used  in the business  of the  Company or a
    Subsidiary;
 
        (ix) any Lien relating to  a judgment or award  that the Company or  any
    Subsidiary is contesting in good faith;
 
        (x)  any Lien for taxes that are not  yet due or that the Company or any
    Subsidiary is contesting in good faith; and
 
        (xi) any Lien extending,  renewing or replacing  any Liens permitted  by
    clauses (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii) or (viii).
 
    In  the case of Liens  permitted under clauses (i),  (iv), (v), (vi), (vii),
(viii) and (xi),  with respect  to any  particular series  of Securities  issued
pursuant  to the Senior Indenture, such Liens  may relate solely to the Property
(including any improvements thereon) subject thereto as of the date of  issuance
of such series of Securities or the date such Lien was incurred, as the case may
be,  and may secure the  payment only of the Indebtedness  so secured as of such
date.
 
    The Senior Indenture provides that if any security interest or lien securing
the Company's obligations  under the Revolving  Credit Facility is  invalidated,
avoided  or  otherwise  deemed  unenforceable  with  respect  to  any collateral
securing such obligations,  any payment  that would be  made to  holders of  the
Securities  issued pursuant to the Senior  Indenture from or attributable to the
proceeds of such collateral (but not  any other payments) shall nevertheless  be
paid  to  the  lenders under  the  Revolving  Credit Facility  in  preference to
payments to  the  holders  of  the Securities  issued  pursuant  to  the  Senior
Indenture until such indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility is paid in
full.
 
    LIMITATION ON SALE AND LEASEBACK TRANSACTIONS. The Senior Indenture provides
that  the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into,
assume, Guarantee  or otherwise  become  liable with  respect  to any  Sale  and
Leaseback  Transaction, PROVIDED, that the Company may enter into (i) a Sale and
Leaseback Transaction  that,  had  such  Sale  and  Leaseback  Transaction  been
structured  as a mortgage rather  than as a Sale  and Leaseback Transaction, the
Company would  have been  permitted to  enter into  such transaction  under  the
limitations   described  in   "Senior  Indenture  Covenants   --  Limitation  on
Indebtedness" and in clause (viii) of "Senior Indenture Covenants --  Limitation
on Liens" above, (ii) with respect to any particular series of Securities issued
pursuant  to the Senior Indenture, a Sale and Leaseback Transaction entered into
prior to the date  of issuance of  such series of Securities,  (iii) a Sale  and
Leaseback  Transaction the proceeds  of which are applied  to repayment of Other
Senior Indebtedness and (iv) a Sale and Leaseback Transaction if within 90  days
of  entering into such  arrangement, the Company  makes a PRO  RATA offer to all
holders of any one or more series  of Senior Debt Securities as may be  selected
by  the  Company to  repurchase such  Senior  Debt Securities  at 100%  of their
principal  amount,  plus  accrued  and  unpaid  interest  through  the  date  of
repurchase,  and in  an aggregate  amount equal  to (x)  the greater  of the Net
Proceeds of  the  sale  of  the  Property  leased  pursuant  to  such  Sale  and
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
Leaseback  Transaction or the Fair Market Value of the Property so leased at the
time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction less (y) the amount of
Net Proceeds which are applied to repayment of Other Senior Indebtedness.
 
    LIMITATION ON ASSET SALES.  The  Senior Indenture provides that neither  the
Company  nor any Subsidiary shall consummate any Asset Sale unless (i) such sale
is for Fair  Market Value  and (ii)  at least 75%  of the  Net Proceeds  thereof
received  by the Company  or such Subsidiary  is in the  form of cash; PROVIDED,
that for purposes of  this covenant, securities received  by the Company or  any
Subsidiary  from such transferee  that are promptly converted  by the Company or
such Subsidiary into cash shall be deemed to be cash, and PROVIDED FURTHER, that
notwithstanding any  other  provision in  this  paragraph, the  Company  or  any
Subsidiary  may  consummate  Asset Sales  for  which it  receives  aggregate Net
Proceeds from the applicable purchaser or purchasers in an amount not to  exceed
$25,000,000  in connection with any  and all such Asset  Sales without regard to
the foregoing limitation on receiving a specified percentage of the Net Proceeds
in cash. To  the extent  the Company  has not  reinvested such  Net Proceeds  in
Additional  Assets or used such Net  Proceeds to repay Other Senior Indebtedness
within twelve months  following the consummation  of the Asset  Sale (or in  the
case  of Net Proceeds in the form  of securities rather than cash, within twelve
months after such securities become cash),  the Company shall either apply  such
Net  Proceeds  (or  any  portion  thereof)  to  the  repayment  of  Other Senior
Indebtedness or apply such  Net Proceeds (or the  remaining portion thereof)  in
accordance  with  the following  sentence. If  no  Other Senior  Indebtedness is
outstanding at such time  or the Company  does not apply any  or applies only  a
portion  of such Net Proceeds  to the repayment of  Other Senior Indebtedness or
the application of such Net Proceeds  results in the payment of all  outstanding
Other  Senior  Indebtedness, then  such Net  Proceeds  or any  remaining portion
thereof,  in  each  case  not  so  applied  to  the  payment  of  Other   Senior
Indebtedness,  shall be applied to a PRO RATA offer to all holders of any one or
more series of  Senior Debt  Securities as  may be  selected by  the Company  to
repurchase  such Senior Debt  Securities at 100% of  their principal amount plus
accrued and unpaid interest through the date of repurchase.
 
    Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Net Proceeds resulting  from
any  Asset Sale, after  giving effect to  any related repayment  of Other Senior
Indebtedness, are less than $10,000,000, the application of such Net Proceeds to
a PRO  RATA offer  to all  holders of  any one  or more  series of  Senior  Debt
Securities  as may  be selected  by the Company  to repurchase  such Senior Debt
Securities at 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid  interest,
may  be deferred until such time as such Net Proceeds, plus the aggregate amount
of Net Proceeds  resulting from  any subsequent Asset  Sale or  Asset Sales  not
otherwise  reinvested  in Additional  Assets or  applied  to repay  Other Senior
Indebtedness as required are  at least equal to  $10,000,000, at which time  the
Company  shall apply all such Net Proceeds to a PRO RATA offer to all holders of
any one or  more series  of Senior  Debt Securities as  may be  selected by  the
Company  to repurchase  such Senior Debt  Securities at 100%  of their principal
amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest through the date of repurchase.
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
    Pending  application thereof in accordance with the foregoing paragraph, the
Company shall  either  apply  the  Net  Proceeds of  any  Asset  Sale  to  repay
temporarily  Other Senior Indebtedness or invest  such Net Proceeds in Qualified
Investments.
 
    LIMITATION ON INDEBTEDNESS AND PREFERRED STOCK OF SUBSIDIARIES.  The  Senior
Indenture  provides that the  Company shall not permit  any Subsidiary to incur,
create,  assume  or  Guarantee  any  Indebtedness  or  issue  any  preferred  or
preference  stock,  except for  (i)  with respect  to  any particular  series of
Securities issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture, preferred stock  outstanding
on  the  date  of  issuance  of such  series  of  Securities,  (ii) Indebtedness
permitted under the  terms of  the Indenture described  under "Senior  Indenture
Covenants  -- Limitation on Indebtedness" above, (iii) preferred stock issued to
and held by the Company or a wholly  owned Subsidiary (but only so long as  held
or  owned by the Company or a  wholly owned Subsidiary) and (iv) preferred stock
issued by a Person prior to the  time (a) such Person becomes a Subsidiary,  (b)
such  Person merges with or into a Subsidiary or (c) a Subsidiary merges with or
into such Person, PROVIDED that such preferred stock was not issued or  incurred
by  such  Person in  anticipation  of the  type  of transaction  contemplated by
subclauses (a), (b) or (c). The  Senior Indenture contains no limitation on  the
amount  of  Indebtedness which  any Unrestricted  Subsidiary may  incur, create,
assume or Guarantee or on the amount  of preferred or preference stock that  any
Unrestricted Subsidiary may issue.
 
    SUBORDINATED INDENTURE COVENANTS
 
    In  addition to the  covenants set forth  under "Common Indenture Covenants"
above, the Subordinated Indenture contains the following covenants, which  shall
be  applicable  to  each  series of  Securities  issued  under  the Subordinated
Indenture unless otherwise provided in the Prospectus Supplement:
 
    LIMITATION ON  OTHER SENIOR  SUBORDINATED  INDEBTEDNESS.   The  Subordinated
Indenture  provides  that the  Company will  not  incur, create,  issue, assume,
Guarantee or otherwise  become liable  for any Indebtedness  which is  expressly
subordinate  or  junior  in  any  respect in  right  of  payment  to  any Senior
Indebtedness and expressly  senior in  any respect in  right of  payment to  the
Senior Subordinated Debt Securities.
 
    LIMITATION  ON INDEBTEDNESS.   The Subordinated Indenture  provides that the
Company shall not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur,
assume, Guarantee  or  otherwise  become  liable  with  respect  to,  or  become
responsible  for the  payment of, any  Indebtedness unless,  after giving effect
thereto, the  Consolidated  Interest Coverage  Ratio  of the  Company  would  be
greater than 1.7 to 1.
 
    Notwithstanding  the foregoing, the Company  and its Subsidiaries may incur,
create, assume or Guarantee  or otherwise become liable  with respect to any  or
all of the following:
 
        (i)  with respect to any particular series of Securities issued pursuant
    to  the Subordinated Indenture,  Indebtedness issued pursuant  to either the
    Subordinated Indenture or the Senior Indenture  at or prior to the  issuance
    of such series of Securities;
 
        (ii)  Indebtedness evidenced by the 10 1/4% Senior Notes, 10 3/8% Senior
    Notes, 11 1/2% Senior  Notes, 13 3/4% Senior  Subordinated Notes and 9  5/8%
    Senior Subordinated Notes;
 
        (iii)  Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not  to exceed the sum of 65%
    of the total inventory of the Company and its Subsidiaries (calculated on  a
    "first-in, first-out" basis) and 85% of the total accounts receivable of the
    Company and its Subsidiaries;
 
        (iv) Indebtedness the proceeds of which are used to refinance (w) all or
    a  portion  of the  Debt  Securities which  may  be issued  pursuant  to the
    Subordinated Indenture or the Senior Indenture, (x) all or a portion of  the
    10  1/4% Senior Notes, the  10 3/8% Senior Notes,  the 11 1/2% Senior Notes,
    the 13 3/4%  Senior Subordinated  Notes or  the 9  5/8% Senior  Subordinated
    Notes, (y) any other Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries (other
    than  Indebtedness  incurred, created,  assumed  or Guaranteed  under clause
    (iii) above) or (z) successor or replacement Indebtedness, in each case in a
    principal amount not to  exceed the principal amount  so refinanced (or,  if
    such  Indebtedness provides  for an  amount less  than the  principal amount
    thereof to be due and payable upon a
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
    declaration of  acceleration  of the  maturity  thereof, in  an  amount  not
    greater  than such lesser amount) plus any prepayment penalties and premiums
    (including the contractual premiums and any premium reasonably determined by
    the Company as necessary to accomplish such refinancing by means of a tender
    offer or privately negotiated repurchases),  accrued and unpaid interest  on
    the  Indebtedness  so refinanced,  plus customary  fees, expenses  and costs
    related to the incurrence of  such refinancing Indebtedness, PROVIDED  that,
    in  the case of this clause (iv),  (1) with respect to any particular series
    of  Securities  issued  pursuant  to  the  Subordinated  Indenture,  if  the
    Securities  of such series are refinanced  in part, such new Indebtedness is
    expressly made  PARI  PASSU  or  subordinate in  right  of  payment  to  the
    remaining  Securities  of  such  series,  (2)  if  the  Indebtedness  to  be
    refinanced is  PARI PASSU  in  right of  payment  to the  Securities  issued
    pursuant  to the Subordinated Indenture,  such new Indebtedness is expressly
    made PARI PASSU or subordinate in right of payment to the Securities  issued
    pursuant  to  the  Subordinated Indenture,  (3)  if the  Indebtedness  to be
    refinanced is  subordinate in  right  of payment  to the  Securities  issued
    pursuant  to the Subordinated Indenture,  such new Indebtedness is expressly
    made subordinate in right  of payment to the  Securities issued pursuant  to
    the  Subordinated Indenture, at least to the extent that the Indebtedness to
    be refinanced  is  subordinate to  the  Securities issued  pursuant  to  the
    Subordinated  Indenture, and  (4) with respect  to any  particular series of
    Securities issued pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture, if the  Securities
    of  such  series  are refinanced  in  part,  or if  the  Indebtedness  to be
    refinanced is  PARI  PASSU  or  subordinate  in  right  of  payment  to  the
    Securities  of any series issued pursuant  to the Subordinated Indenture and
    scheduled to  mature after  the  maturity date  of  the Securities  of  such
    series,  such new Indebtedness as of the  date of incurrence does not mature
    prior to the final scheduled maturity date of the Securities of such  series
    and  has an Average Life equal to or greater than the remaining Average Life
    of such series of Securities;
 
        (v) with respect to any particular series of Securities issued  pursuant
    to   the  Subordinated  Indenture,  Indebtedness  of  the  Company  and  its
    Subsidiaries remaining outstanding immediately after the date of issuance of
    such series of Securities;
 
        (vi) Indebtedness  of the  Company to  a Subsidiary  of the  Company  or
    Indebtedness  of a Subsidiary  of the Company  to the Company  or to another
    Subsidiary of the Company;
 
        (vii)  Indebtedness  incurred  in  connection  with  the  refurbishment,
    improvement,  construction or acquisition (whether  by acquisition of stock,
    assets or  otherwise) of  any Property  or Properties  of the  Company or  a
    Subsidiary  of  the  Company that  constitute  a  part of  the  then present
    business of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (or incurred within
    twelve  months  of  any   such  acquisition  or   the  completion  of   such
    refurbishment,  improvement  or  construction),  PROVIDED  that  (a)(1) such
    Indebtedness, together  with  any  other Indebtedness  incurred  during  the
    preceding  twelve-month period in reliance upon the exception of this clause
    (vii), does not exceed, in the aggregate,  3% of net sales and service  fees
    of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding twelve-month period
    on  a consolidated basis  and (2) such Indebtedness,  together with all then
    outstanding Indebtedness incurred  in reliance  upon the  exception of  this
    clause  (vii), does not  exceed, in the  aggregate, 3% of  the aggregate net
    sales and  service fees  of  the Company  and  its Subsidiaries  during  the
    preceding   thirty-six  months  on   a  consolidated  basis,   or  (b)  such
    Indebtedness does not exceed the amount of proceeds received by the  Company
    or any of its Subsidiaries from insurance policies maintained by the Company
    or any Subsidiary in respect of such Property or Properties;
 
        (viii)  Indebtedness  consisting  of  Guarantees  by  the  Company  or a
    Subsidiary of the Company  of (a) other Indebtedness  of the Company or  any
    such   Subsidiary,  PROVIDED  that  such  other  Indebtedness  is  otherwise
    permitted under this  covenant limiting incurrence  of Indebtedness and  (b)
    obligations  of  customers of  the franchise  or  wholesale business  of the
    Company or a Subsidiary of the Company which Guarantees are in the  ordinary
    course  of business consistent with the past  practice of the Company or its
    Subsidiaries;
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
        (ix) Indebtedness created by a Lien  to which Property owned or held  by
    the  Company or a  Subsidiary of the  Company is subject,  PROVIDED that the
    Indebtedness secured is Indebtedness of the  Company or a Subsidiary of  the
    Company  which  is  otherwise  permitted under  this  covenant  limiting the
    incurrence of Indebtedness;
 
        (x) Indebtedness incurred in connection with a repurchase of  Securities
    as  described  in "Mergers  and Consolidations;  Change  of Control"  and in
    connection with the repurchase of any notes of the Company which require the
    Company  to  repurchase  such  notes   in  the  event  of  certain   merger,
    consolidation  or change of control  transactions, in an aggregate principal
    amount not to exceed the aggregate repurchase price (equal to the repurchase
    price paid, including premium and accrued interest thereon through the  date
    of  repurchase) of the Securities  and such other notes  of the Company plus
    the amount  of fees  and expenses  associated with  the incurrence  of  such
    Indebtedness;
 
        (xi)  Indebtedness under  Interest Swap Obligations,  PROVIDED that such
    Interest Swap Obligations are related to payment obligations on Indebtedness
    otherwise  permitted  under  this   covenant  limiting  the  incurrence   of
    Indebtedness  and, in the aggregate, do not  relate to a principal amount of
    Indebtedness in excess  of the  Indebtedness permitted  under this  covenant
    limiting the incurrence of Indebtedness;
 
        (xii)  commercial  letters  of  credit  and  standby  letters  of credit
    incurred  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  by  the  Company  or  its
    Subsidiaries;
 
        (xiii)  Indebtedness  represented by  industrial revenue  or development
    bonds, PROVIDED  that  the  aggregate amount  of  Indebtedness  incurred  in
    reliance  upon the exception of  this clause (xiii) shall  not exceed at any
    one time an aggregate principal amount outstanding of $25 million;
 
        (xiv) Capitalized Lease  Obligations relating  to Property  used in  the
    business of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
 
        (xv)   Indebtedness  incurred  in  respect   of  performance  bonds  and
    Guarantees and  completion Guarantees  incurred in  the ordinary  course  of
    business and refinancings thereof; and
 
        (xvi)  Indebtedness  arising  from  the  honoring  by  a  bank  or other
    financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument  inadvertently
    (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds
    in  the  ordinary course  of business,  PROVIDED  that such  Indebtedness is
    extinguished within five business days of its incurrence.
 
    The  Subordinated  Indenture  contains  no  limitations  on  the  amount  of
Indebtedness  which  any  Unrestricted  Subsidiary  may  incur,  create, assume,
Guarantee or otherwise become liable for.
 
SUBORDINATION OF THE SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES
 
    The Senior  Subordinated  Debt  Securities are  subordinated  to  the  prior
payment  of all Senior Indebtedness whether  outstanding on the date of issuance
of any  series of  Senior Subordinated  Debt Securities  or thereafter  created,
incurred,   assumed  or  Guaranteed.  Upon  (i)   the  maturity  of  any  Senior
Indebtedness, including by acceleration, redemption or acceptance of an offer of
prepayment  or  otherwise,  or  any  default  in  the  payment  of  any   Senior
Indebtedness when due or (ii) any distribution of the assets of the Company upon
any  liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy, reorganization, or similar proceeding
relating to the Company, the holders of Senior Indebtedness will be entitled  to
receive  payment in full, in  cash or Cash Equivalents  or, as acceptable to the
holders of Senior Indebtedness, in any  other manner, before the holders of  the
Senior  Subordinated Debt Securities are entitled  to receive any payment (other
than Permitted  Junior  Securities,  as  defined  below),  and  any  payment  or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property  or securities, by  set-off or otherwise,  to which the  holders of the
Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or the Trustee would be entitled but for the
provisions of the  Subordinated Indenture relating  to subordination  (excluding
shares  of Capital Stock of  the Company or securities  of the Company which are
subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness to substantially the
same extent as the Senior Subordinated Debt
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
Securities  are  so  subordinated,  which  shares  of  Capital  Stock  or  other
securities  of the Company  are issued pursuant  to a plan  of reorganization or
readjustment  (the  "Permitted  Junior  Securities"))  shall  be  paid  by   the
liquidating trustee or agent or other person making such payment or distribution
directly  to the  holders of Senior  Indebtedness (or to  the representatives or
agents of such  holders) ratably  according to the  aggregate amounts  remaining
unpaid  on account of  the Senior Indebtedness  to the extent  necessary to make
payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, after giving effect
to any  concurrent payment  or distribution  to  or for  the holders  of  Senior
Indebtedness.  In the event that, notwithstanding  the foregoing, the Trustee or
any holder of Senior Subordinated Debt Securities shall have received payment or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property or  securities, other  than Permitted  Junior Securities,  in a  manner
prohibited  by the  provisions described in  the preceding  sentence, before all
Senior Indebtedness is  paid in full  or payment thereof  is provided for,  then
such  payment or distribution will  be paid over or  delivered to the trustee in
bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee,  custodian, assignee, agent or  other
person  making payment or distribution of  assets of the Company for application
to the  payment  of all  Senior  Indebtedness  remaining unpaid  to  the  extent
necessary  to pay all Senior  Indebtedness in full, in  cash or Cash Equivalents
or, as acceptable to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, any other manner, after
giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of
Senior Indebtedness.
 
    In the  event of  the occurrence  of any  continuing default  (other than  a
payment  default)  with  respect to  Designated  Senior  Indebtedness permitting
acceleration of the maturity  thereof, and upon receipt  by the Company and  the
Trustee  of  notice  (from  a  Person entitled  to  give  such  notice)  of such
occurrence and requiring payments on the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities  to
cease,  no payment or other distribution may  be made on the Senior Subordinated
Debt Securities for a period of 179 days after such notice, but payments may  be
resumed  upon cure or waiver  of such default, discharge  or payment in full, in
cash or cash equivalents of such Designated Senior Indebtedness, written  notice
of termination of the 179-day period by the Person initiating such period to the
Company  or the Trustee or  at the conclusion of  the 179-day period, unless (i)
such default is then the subject of judicial proceedings to determine whether it
in fact  is a  default  with respect  to  Designated Senior  Indebtedness,  (ii)
Designated  Senior Indebtedness shall have been accelerated and not paid in full
and such acceleration shall not have  been rescinded or (iii) a payment  default
shall  have occurred and be continuing  under Designated Senior Indebtedness (in
which case payments may be resumed on the first day after the 179-day period  on
which  the event  specified in clause  (i), (ii) or  (iii), as the  case may be,
shall no longer be  continuing). The Subordinated  Indenture provides that  only
one  notice relating to the same event of  default or any other event of default
(other  than  a  payment  default)  on  the  same  issue  of  Designated  Senior
Indebtedness  existing on the date of such notice and known to the Person giving
such notice may be given during any 360-day period and any default (other than a
payment default) that serves as a basis for  such a notice may not be the  basis
for  a second  such notice unless  such default has  been cured or  waived for a
period of at least 90 days. The failure to make a payment of the principal of or
interest on any  series of the  Senior Subordinated Debt  Securities because  of
such  restrictions shall  not be  construed as  preventing the  occurrence of an
Event of  Default or  impairing the  right to  accelerate the  maturity of  such
series of the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities upon the occurrence thereof.
 
MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATIONS; CHANGE OF CONTROL
 
    MERGERS  AND  CONSOLIDATIONS; PAYMENT  AT HOLDERS'  OPTION.   Each Indenture
provides that  the Company  shall not  consolidate  or merge  with or  into,  or
transfer,  sell or lease all or substantially all of its Property to, any Person
(except a  wholly owned  Subsidiary of  the  Company which  is a  United  States
corporation  with a positive consolidated net worth, provided that following and
after giving effect to such consolidation, merger, transfer, sale or lease there
exists no Default  or Event of  Default under the  Indenture) unless (i)(a)  the
Company  is the surviving corporation  in the case of  a consolidation or merger
and its Voting Stock is  not changed into or  exchanged for cash, securities  or
other  Property of  another corporation  or (b)  the corporation  formed by such
consolidation or merger or  to which such  transfer, sale or  lease occurs is  a
United  States  corporation  and  such  corporation  unconditionally  assumes by
supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture
and (ii) immediately
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
after giving effect  to such  transaction there exists  no Default  or Event  of
Default  under the  Indenture. In  the event  that immediately  after and giving
effect to  any such  consolidation, merger,  transfer, sale  or lease  permitted
under  the foregoing  provisions (except  such transaction  with or  to a wholly
owned Subsidiary of  the Company  which is a  United States  corporation with  a
positive  consolidated net  worth) and any  financings or  other transactions in
connection therewith the Consolidated Interest  Coverage Ratio of the  surviving
corporation  is less than 1.7 to 1, each  Holder shall have the right to require
the surviving corporation  to repurchase any  Security held by  such Holder,  in
whole  but  not in  part, at  a  purchase price  in cash  equal  to 101%  of its
principal amount  plus accrued  interest,  after the  consummation of  any  such
merger,  consolidation,  transfer, sale  or lease  and  the Indebtedness  of the
surviving corporation, after giving effect to such transaction and any financing
or other transactions in connection therewith, shall not be deemed to have  been
incurred  in violation  of any covenant  of the Indenture.  In addition, certain
mergers may constitute a Change of Control that would give each Holder the right
to require the  Company to  repurchase any  Security held  by such  Holder at  a
purchase  price  in cash  equal to  101%  of its  principal amount  plus accrued
interest. See "Change of Control" below.  The Company shall give Holders  notice
of  such right  of repurchase not  less than 20  nor more than  60 business days
prior to  the date  of such  consummation,  mailed by  first-class mail  to  the
Holders'  last  addresses as  they  appear upon  the  register. Holders  will be
entitled to have their  Securities repurchased if  such Securities are  tendered
for  repurchase at least  five business days  prior to the  consummation of such
transaction. Holders shall be entitled to withdraw Securities so tendered  until
five   business   days  prior   to   the  consummation   of   such  transaction.
Notwithstanding that the Company shall have  given any such notice, the  Company
shall   have  no  obligation  to  repurchase   any  Securities  if  the  merger,
consolidation, transfer, sale or lease which  is the subject of any such  notice
is not consummated.
 
    CHANGE  OF CONTROL.  In the event of a Change of Control with respect to the
Company, each Holder shall have the  right to require the Company to  repurchase
any  Security held by such Holder  at a purchase price in  cash equal to 101% of
its principal amount plus accrued interest, after the occurrence of such  Change
of  Control. The Company shall  give Holders notice of  such right of repurchase
not more  than 45  business days  following such  Change of  Control, mailed  by
first-class  mail  to  the  Holders'  last addresses  as  they  appear  upon the
register. Holders will have  the right to have  their Securities repurchased  if
such  Securities are  tendered for repurchase  no later than  five business days
prior to the applicable repurchase date. The Change of Control provision of  the
Securities may make more difficult or discourage a takeover of the Company.
 
    In  the event that the Company is required to repurchase the Securities, the
Company intends to comply with  any applicable securities laws and  regulations,
including any applicable requirements of Section 14(e) of, and Rule 14e-1 under,
the  1934 Act. The  indentures relating to  the Company's 10  1/4% Senior Notes,
10 3/8% Senior Notes, 11 1/2% Senior Notes and 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated  Notes
contain  similar change  of control provisions  which would be  triggered in the
event of a Change of Control. In addition, a Change of Control would  constitute
an Event of Default under the Company's Revolving Credit Facility.
 
    Any  repurchase of Senior Debt  Securities would be effectively subordinated
to any  secured Indebtedness  of  the Company  (including the  Revolving  Credit
Facility)  with  respect to  the pledged  assets. Any  repurchase of  the Senior
Subordinated  Debt  Securities  would  be   subordinated  to  the  Senior   Debt
Securities,  the 10  1/4% Senior Notes,  the 10  3/8% Senior Notes,  the 11 1/2%
Senior Notes,  the Company's  Revolving  Credit Facility  and any  other  Senior
Indebtedness.
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
    Each  Indenture defines  the following  events as  "Events of  Default" with
respect to any series of Debt  Securities issued thereunder: (i) the failure  to
pay  interest on any Debt Security of such  series for a period of 15 days after
such interest becomes due and payable; (ii) the failure to pay the principal  of
or  any  premium on  any Debt  Security of  such series  when such  principal or
premium becomes due and  payable, at maturity or  otherwise; (iii) a default  in
the  observance of any other agreement or  covenant (other than a covenant whose
performance is  elsewhere  in this  section  specifically dealt  with  or  which
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
expressly has been included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of series of
Debt  Securities  issued  pursuant to  such  Indenture other  than  that series)
contained in the Indenture that continues for 30 days after the Company has been
given notice of the default  by the Trustee or the  holders of 25% in  principal
amount  of the  outstanding Debt  Securities of that  series; (iv)  a default on
other Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary (including a default on Debt
Securities issued pursuant to such Indenture  other than that series) having  an
outstanding  principal amount  of more  than $1,000,000  individually or  in the
aggregate if such Indebtedness has attained final maturity or if the holders  of
such  Indebtedness  have  accelerated payment  thereof  under the  terms  of the
instrument under which such Indebtedness is or may be outstanding and it remains
unpaid; (v)  one or  more judgments  or decrees  have been  entered against  the
Company  or  any Subsidiary  involving a  liability (not  paid by  insurance) of
$1,000,000 or more in the case of any one such judgment or decree or  $1,000,000
or  more in the aggregate for all such judgments and decrees for the Company and
all its Subsidiaries and  all such judgments or  decrees have not been  vacated,
discharged  or stayed  or bonded  pending appeal within  60 days  from the entry
thereof; (vi)  certain  events  of  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  or  reorganization
affecting  the Company or any  Subsidiary; and (vii) any  other Event of Default
provided with respect  to Debt Securities  of such series.  No Event of  Default
(except  an Event of Default  described in clause (vi)  above) with respect to a
particular series  of Debt  Securities issued  under any  Indenture  necessarily
constitutes  an  Event of  Default  with respect  to  any other  series  of Debt
Securities issued under such Indenture or any other Indenture.
 
    Each Indenture provides that the Trustee with respect to any series of  Debt
Securities issued thereunder, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of
Default with respect to such series of Debt Securities that is continuing and is
known to a Trust Officer of the Trustee, will give notice thereof to the holders
of  the Debt Securities of  such series; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  that, except in the
case of a default in payment of principal  of or interest on any series of  Debt
Securities,  the Trustee may  withhold such notice  as long as  it in good faith
determines that  such withholding  is in  the interest  of the  holders of  such
series of Debt Securities.
 
    If  an Event of Default (other than  an Event of Default described in clause
(vi) above)  with  respect  to  Debt  Securities  of  any  series  at  the  time
outstanding  occurs and is  continuing, the Trustee  or the Holders  of not less
than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that  series,
by  notice  in  writing, may  declare  to  be due  and  payable  immediately the
principal amount of such series of Debt Securities, plus accrued interest. If an
Event of Default described  in clause (vi) above  occurs and is continuing,  the
principal  amount  of all  outstanding Debt  Securities, plus  accrued interest,
shall be due and payable without any declaration  or any act on the part of  the
Trustee or the holders of any series of Debt Securities.
 
    Any  declaration of acceleration by the Trustee or the Holders of any series
of Debt Securities  may be rescinded  and past defaults  may be waived  (except,
unless  theretofore cured, a default in payment of principal or interest) by the
holders of a majority in principal amount of such series of Debt Securities upon
conditions provided in  the Indenture. Except  to enforce the  right to  receive
payment  of principal  or interest  when due,  no holder  of any  series of Debt
Securities may institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any
remedy thereunder unless such holder has previously given to the Trustee written
notice of a continuing Event of Default  and unless the holders of at least  25%
in principal amount of such series of Debt Securities have requested the Trustee
to  pursue remedies  in respect of  such Event  of Default and  have offered the
Trustee indemnity  satisfactory  to  the Trustee  against  loss,  liability,  or
expense  to be thereby incurred and the Trustee has failed so to act for 60 days
after receipt of  the same. Subject  to certain restrictions,  the holders of  a
majority  in principal amount  of the outstanding Debt  Securities of any series
are given the  right to direct  the time,  method, and place  of conducting  any
proceeding  for any remedy available  to the Trustee or  exercising any trust or
power conferred on the Trustee with  respect to such series of Debt  Securities.
The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law
or the Indenture, that is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any holder of such
series  of  Debt  Securities  or  that would  subject  the  Trustee  to personal
liability.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
    The Company  is  required to  deliver  to the  Trustee  for each  series  of
Securities   issued  pursuant  to  the  Senior  Indenture  or  the  Subordinated
Indenture, as applicable, within 120 days after  the end of each fiscal year  of
the  Company, a certificate indicating whether the Company has complied with the
terms of the Indenture and whether an Event of Default exists.
 
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE
 
    Each Indenture provides that the Company may terminate its obligations  with
respect  to  any series  of Debt  Securities  issued thereunder  at any  time by
delivering all outstanding  Debt Securities of  such series to  the Trustee  for
cancellation.  The Company, at  its option, (i) will  be Discharged (as defined)
from any and  all obligations  with respect to  Debt Securities  of such  series
(except  for  certain obligations  of the  Company to  register the  transfer or
exchange of Debt Securities of such  series, replace stolen, lost, or  mutilated
Debt  Securities of such  series, maintain paying agencies,  and hold moneys for
payment in trust and to compensate the Trustee as provided in the Indenture)  or
(ii)  need  not  comply with  certain  restrictive covenants  in  the applicable
Indenture, in each  case if  the Company deposits  with the  Trustee, in  trust,
money  or U.S.  Government Obligations  which, through  the payment  of interest
thereon and principal thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money
in an amount sufficient  to pay all  the principal of and  interest on the  Debt
Securities  of such series on the dates such payments are due in accordance with
the terms of such series  of Debt Securities. To  exercise any such option,  the
Company  is required to deliver to the Trustee  (a) an opinion of counsel to the
effect that the deposit  and related defeasance would  not cause the holders  of
such  series of Debt Securities  to recognize income, gain,  or loss for federal
income tax purposes  and, in  the case  of a  Discharge pursuant  to clause  (i)
above,  accompanied by a ruling to such effect received from or published by the
United States Internal Revenue Service and  (b) an officers' certificate and  an
opinion of counsel to the effect that all conditions precedent to the defeasance
have been complied with.
 
REPORTS TO HOLDERS
 
    Each  Indenture  provides that  so long  as  the Company  is subject  to the
periodic reporting requirements of the 1934 Act, it will continue to furnish the
information required thereby to  the Commission and to  the holders of the  Debt
Securities  of each  series. Each  Indenture further  provides that  even if the
Company is entitled under the  1934 Act not to  furnish such information to  the
Commission or to the holders of Debt Securities, it will nonetheless continue to
furnish  such information to the Commission, the Trustee and the holders of Debt
Securities as if it were subject to such periodic reporting requirements.
 
NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES
 
    Each Indenture provides that no shareholder, officer, director or  employee,
as  such, of the Company shall  be liable for any failure  by the Company to pay
any amounts  on  any series  of  Debt Securities  when  due or  to  perform  any
obligation  of the  Company pursuant  to any  series of  Debt Securities  or the
Indenture.
 
MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE
 
    Each Indenture provides that from time to time, the Company and the Trustee,
without the consent of the holders of  any series of Debt Securities, may  amend
the  Indenture or such series of Debt Securities for certain specified purposes,
including curing ambiguities, defects, or inconsistencies and making any  change
that  does not adversely affect the rights of  any holder of such series of Debt
Securities. Other  modifications and  amendments of  the Indenture  or the  Debt
Securities  of any  series may  be made  with the  consent of  the holders  of a
majority in principal amount of then outstanding Debt Securities of each  series
affected  by such modification or amendment, except that, without the consent of
the Holders  of  each  Debt  Security  then  outstanding  affected  thereby,  no
amendment  may reduce the remaining principal amount of, or rate of interest on,
any Debt Security, change the date on which payment of principal or interest  is
due  or the currency in which  it is payable, change the  date on which any Debt
Security may be subject to redemption,  reduce the redemption price, change  the
ranking of any series of Debt Securities with respect to any other obligation of
the  Company in a way  that adversely affects the rights  of the Holders of such
series   of   Debt   Securities,   or   reduce   the   percentage   of   holders
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
necessary  to  modify  or  alter  the  Indenture  or  the  Debt  Securities. The
Subordinated Indenture  provides  that  no  modification  or  amendment  of  the
Subordinated Indenture may be made the effect of which is directly or indirectly
to  terminate or impair the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness pursuant to
the subordination provisions set forth in the Subordinated Indenture.
 
THE TRUSTEES
 
    Each Indenture provides that, except during  the continuance of an Event  of
Default, the Trustee will perform only such duties as are specifically set forth
in  the Indenture. During the existence of an Event of Default, the Trustee will
exercise such rights and  powers vested in  it under the  Indenture and use  the
same  degree of care and  skill in its exercise as  a prudent man would exercise
under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
 
    Each Indenture, including the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended,  incorporated  by reference  therein,  contains limitations  on  the
rights  of the Trustee,  should it become  a creditor of  the Company, to obtain
payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received by
it in  respect of  any  such claim  as security  or  otherwise. The  Trustee  is
permitted  to engage  in other transactions  with the Company  or any Affiliate,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if it acquires  any conflicting interest (as defined  in
the  Indenture  or in  the Trust  Indenture Act  of 1939,  as amended),  it must
eliminate such conflict or resign.
 
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
    The Company has  engaged Miller Tabak  Hirsch + Co.  ("MTH") as a  financial
advisor  and investment banker for Fiscal 1994  for an annual fee of $1,324,000,
payable in twelve equal monthly installments. Penn Traffic had in effect through
January 30, 1993 an  agreement with MTH providing  for financial consulting  and
business management services. Under this agreement, Penn Traffic paid MTH annual
fees  of $1,282,000 in Fiscal 1993, $1,250,000  in Fiscal 1992 and $1,000,000 in
Fiscal 1991.
 
    Although the fees under the  engagement agreements described above were  not
negotiated  at arms'  length, the  management of  the Company  believes that the
terms of such engagements were  and are no less  favorable to Penn Traffic  than
could  have  been  obtained  in transactions  negotiated  at  arms'  length with
unaffiliated third parties. In addition to  services to be provided pursuant  to
the  current engagement  agreement described above,  it is  anticipated that MTH
will periodically  provide  investment  banking  services  to  Penn  Traffic  in
connection  with acquisition and  other transactions for  which MTH will receive
reasonable and customary fees.
 
    Upon the issuance of any  Debt Securities, MTH will  receive a fee equal  to
0.25% of the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities issued. During Fiscal
1994,  MTH has received a  fee of $1,000,000 for  services relating to the April
1993 Offerings and the  mergers of P&C  and Big Bear  into Penn Traffic.  During
Fiscal  1993, MTH received a fee of $400,000 for its services in connection with
assisting the Company with the Schmitt Acquisition and fees aggregating $750,000
for services relating to  the offering of $100  million principal amount of  the
10 3/8% Senior Notes and to the offering of $125 million principal amount of the
10 1/4% Senior Notes. During Fiscal 1992, MTH received fees aggregating $750,000
for  services relating  to the arrangement  of the Company's  prior secured term
loan, the merger of P&C  into a wholly owned subsidiary  of the Company and  the
issuance  by P&C of the 11 1/2% Senior Notes. In Fiscal 1991, MTH received a fee
of $100,000  for its  services to  arrange for  a $10  million increase  in  the
Company's revolving credit facility. Management believes that the amounts of all
of such fees are reasonable and customary.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
    Penn Traffic holds an indirect ownership interest representing approximately
17.8% of the common stock of Grand Union Holdings, the indirect corporate parent
of  Grand Union, on a fully diluted  basis. Penn Traffic's ownership interest in
Grand Union Holdings was acquired in July 1989 (Fiscal 1990) and is held through
GAC Holdings Limited Partnership ("GAC Holdings"), whose other investors include
MTH and individuals affiliated  with MTH, certain  management employees of  Penn
Traffic and other investors.
 
    At the time of the acquisition of Grand Union by Grand Union Holdings, Grand
Union  and P&C operated stores  in some of the  same geographic areas in Vermont
and upstate  New  York. In  connection  with the  acquisition,  agreements  were
entered  into with  federal and state  antitrust authorities  which required the
divestiture of 16 Grand Union stores or P&C stores. The divestitures required by
these agreements were completed on July 30, 1990. Thirteen of the sixteen stores
divested were P&C stores, and three were Grand Union stores.
 
    In a related  transaction, on July  30, 1990 Penn  Traffic entered into  the
Operating  Agreement whereby  Grand Union  acquired the  right to  operate P&C's
thirteen remaining stores in New England  under the Grand Union name until  July
2000, with an option to extend the term of such operation for an additional five
years.  Penn Traffic also granted Grand Union an option to purchase such stores.
In connection with these transactions, Grand Union agreed to pay Penn Traffic  a
minimum annual fee which will average $10.7 million per year during the ten-year
lease  term plus, beginning  with the year commencing  July 31, 1992, additional
contingent fees of up to $700,000 per  year based upon sales performance of  the
stores  operated by Grand Union. In addition, Grand Union paid Penn Traffic $7.5
million for the option to purchase the stores. Under the terms of the  Operating
Agreement,  the recapitalization of Grand Union  which occurred on July 22, 1992
triggered a $15  million prepayment of  an operating fee.  Such prepayment  will
reduce future payments made by Grand Union to Penn Traffic pursuant to the terms
of the Operating Agreement by approximately $3.2 million per year.
 
    Grand  Union  purchases frozen  bakery  products from  Penn  Traffic's Penny
Curtiss  bakery,  and  Penn  Traffic  purchases  products  from  Grand   Union's
commissary.  All of such purchases are made  in the ordinary course of business.
The amount of frozen bakery products purchased by Grand Union from Penny Curtiss
was approximately $3.1 million in Fiscal  1993, $2.6 million in Fiscal 1992  and
$1.4  million in Fiscal 1991. The amount of commissary product purchased by Penn
Traffic from Grand Union in Fiscal 1993 was approximately $0.5 million in Fiscal
1993, $0.8 million in Fiscal 1992 and $0.9 million in Fiscal 1991.
 
    In late September 1993, Penn Traffic  entered into a program to  consolidate
the  purchasing  and distribution  of  health and  beauty  care products  and of
general merchandise with Grand Union.  Under this program, Grand Union  procures
health  and beauty care products for both Grand Union and Penn Traffic, and Penn
Traffic, through its Big  Bear division, procures  general merchandise for  both
Penn  Traffic and  Grand Union. Grand  Union's general  merchandise warehouse in
Montgomery, New York will be used  to distribute general merchandise and  health
and  beauty care products to P & C Foods, Quality Markets, Riverside Markets and
Bi-Lo Foods stores, and to supply Penn Traffic's wholesale customers, as well as
Grand Union  stores. The  implementation  of this  program  is scheduled  to  be
completed  during the first quarter  of Fiscal 1995. Penn  Traffic owns both the
general merchandise and health and beauty care products inventory located at the
Montgomery, New York warehouse.  Under this arrangement,  the cost of  operating
the  Montgomery  warehouse  is  being  shared  by  Penn  Traffic  in  an  amount
proportionate to Penn Traffic's usage of the facility.
 
                         TERMS OF FINANCING AGREEMENTS
 
    The description of  Penn Traffic's financing  agreements which follows  does
not  purport to be complete  and is subject to and  qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financing  agreements, all of which  have been filed with  the
Commission.
 
    In  April 1993,  Penn Traffic entered  into a new  revolving credit facility
(the "Revolving Credit Facility") with NatWest, as Agent for a group of  lending
institutions.  The Revolving  Credit Facility  replaced three  separate existing
revolving credit facilities  of Penn  Traffic, P&C and  Big Bear  which were  in
effect until the
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
mergers  of P&C and  Big Bear into  Penn Traffic. The  Revolving Credit Facility
provides for  borrowings of  up to  $200 million,  subject to  a borrowing  base
limitation measured by the Company's eligible inventory and accounts receivable.
The  Revolving Credit Facility matures April 30, 2000 and is secured by a pledge
of  the  Company's  inventory,  accounts  receivable  and  related  assets.  The
Revolving  Credit Facility bears interest at a  rate per annum, at the Company's
option, equal to the Base Rate (as  defined) plus 1% or LIBOR (as defined)  plus
2.5% until such time as the Company has reported an interest coverage ratio on a
trailing  four-quarter basis (defined generally as  the ratio of earnings before
interest expense, income taxes,  depreciation, amortization, LIFO provision  and
extraordinary  items  to  cash interest  expense)  of  2:1, at  which  point the
Revolving Credit  Facility  will bear  interest  at a  rate  per annum,  at  the
Company's  option,  equal  to the  Base  Rate  plus .75%  or  LIBOR  plus 2.25%.
Indebtedness under  the Revolving  Credit  Facility ranks  pari passu  with  the
Company's  other senior debt,  including the 11  1/2% Senior Notes,  the 10 1/4%
Senior Notes and the  10 3/8% Senior  Notes, and will rank  pari passu with  any
Debt Securities which are designated as Senior Debt Securities (see "Description
of  Debt Securities");  however, unlike  the 11 1/2%  Senior Notes,  the 10 1/4%
Senior Notes  and the  10 3/8%  Senior  Notes and  unlike any  Debt  Securities,
indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility is secured.
 
    The Revolving Credit Facility requires the Company to meet certain financial
tests,  including  minimum  net  worth, minimum  cumulative  EBITDA  and minimum
interest coverage  ratios.  The  Revolving Credit  Facility  contains  covenants
which,  among other  things, restrict  capital expenditures  and investments and
limit the incurrence of  additional indebtedness, transactions with  affiliates,
mergers and consolidations, liens and encumbrances and other matters customarily
restricted  in  such  agreements.  In addition,  the  Revolving  Credit Facility
prohibits the payment of dividends. The Company had approximately $49 million of
available and unused credit under the  Revolving Credit Facility at October  30,
1993.
 
    The  11  1/2%  Senior  Notes are  redeemable  in  whole or  in  part  at the
redemption prices expressed in percentages of the principal amount of 104.25% in
1996, 102.25% in 1997 and 100.0% in 1998 and thereafter, beginning October 15 of
the applicable year. The 10 1/4% Senior Notes are redeemable in whole or in part
at the redemption  prices expressed in  percentages of the  principal amount  of
104.0%  in 1997,  102.0% in  1998 and 100.0%  in 1999  and thereafter, beginning
February 15 of the applicable year. The  10 3/8% Senior Notes are redeemable  in
whole  or  in part  at the  redemption  prices expressed  in percentages  of the
principal amount of 104.0% in 1997, 102.67% in 1998, 101.33% in 1999 and  100.0%
in  1999  and  thereafter,  beginning  October 1  of  the  applicable  year. The
indentures relating to the 11  1/2% Senior Notes, the  10 1/4% Senior Notes  and
the  10 3/8% Senior Notes contain  certain covenants, including a restriction on
incurrence of indebtedness by  Penn Traffic and certain  of its subsidiaries,  a
restriction  on the  incurrence of  liens on  the properties  or assets  of Penn
Traffic and certain  of its  subsidiaries, and a  limitation on  the payment  of
dividends  to Penn  Traffic's common  shareholders. The  indentures also provide
that, in the event of a change in control of Penn Traffic (as defined) or in the
event of a merger or consolidation of Penn Traffic where, immediately after such
merger or consolidation,  the surviving  corporation does not  meet a  specified
interest  coverage ratio, each  holder of 11  1/2% Senior Notes,  10 1/4% Senior
Notes or  10  3/8%  Senior Notes  has  the  right to  require  Penn  Traffic  to
repurchase  any note held  by such holder at  a purchase price  in cash equal to
101% of its principal amount plus accrued interest. The right of holders to have
their notes repurchased in the event of a  change in control or in the event  of
certain  mergers  or  consolidations may  make  more difficult  or  discourage a
takeover of Penn Traffic.
 
    The 13 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 1999 are redeemable in whole or in
part at the redemption prices expressed  in percentages of the principal  amount
of  104.0%  in 1994,  102.0% in  1995, 101.0%  in  1996 and  100.0% in  1997 and
thereafter, beginning  June  15  of  the applicable  year.  The  9  5/8%  Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2005 are redeemable in whole or in part at the redemption
prices  expressed  in percentages  of the  principal amount  of 104.0%  in 1998,
102.67% in 1999, 101.33%  in 2000 and 100.0%  in 2001 and thereafter,  beginning
April  15 of the applicable year. The  indentures relating to the 13 3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes and to the 9  5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes contain  certain
covenants, including a restriction on incurrence of indebtedness by Penn Traffic
and  certain of its subsidiaries and a limitation on the payment of dividends to
Penn Traffic's common  shareholders. The  indentures also provide  that, in  the
event  of a change in control of Penn Traffic  (as defined) or in the event of a
merger or
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
consolidation  of  Penn  Traffic  where,   immediately  after  such  merger   or
consolidation,  the  surviving corporation  does not  meet a  specified interest
coverage ratio,  each holder  of 13  3/4% Senior  Subordinated Notes  or 9  5/8%
Senior  Subordinated Notes has  the right to require  Penn Traffic to repurchase
any note held by such holder  at a purchase price in  cash equal to 101% of  its
principal  amount  plus  accrued  interest. Any  repurchase  of  13  3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes or 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes would be subordinated  to
the  11 1/2% Senior Notes,  the 10 1/4% Senior Notes,  the 10 3/8% Senior Notes,
the Revolving Credit  Facility and any  Senior Debt Securities  or other  Senior
Indebtedness  (as defined). The right of holders to have their notes repurchased
in the event  of a  change in  control or  in the  event of  certain mergers  or
consolidations may make more difficult or discourage a takeover of Penn Traffic.
 
    Penn  Traffic is in compliance with  all the terms and restrictive covenants
of its debt agreements as of and for the quarter ended July 31, 1993.
 
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
    The Company may sell  Debt Securities to or  through underwriters, and  also
may sell Debt Securities directly to other purchasers or through agents.
 
    The  distribution of  Debt  Securities may be effected  from time to time in
one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at
market prices  prevailing  at  the time  of  sale,  at prices  related  to  such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
 
    In  connection with  the sale of  Debt Securities,  underwriters may receive
compensation from the  Company or from  purchasers of Debt  Securities for  whom
they  may act as  agents in the  form of discounts,  concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell Debt  Securities to or through  dealers, and such  dealers
may  receive compensation in  the form of  discounts, concessions or commissions
from the underwriters and/or commissions from  the purchasers for whom they  may
act  as  agents.  Underwriters,  dealers  and  agents  that  participate  in the
distribution of  Debt Securities  may  be deemed  to  be underwriters,  and  any
discounts or commissions received by them from the Company and any profit on the
resale of Debt Securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and
commissions under the 1933 Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be identified
and  any such compensation  received from the  Company will be  described in the
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, underwriters  and
agents who participate in the distribution of Debt Securities may be entitled to
indemnification   by   the  Company   against  certain   liabilities,  including
liabilities under the 1933 Act.
 
    If so indicated  in the  Prospectus Supplement, the  Company will  authorize
underwriters  or other persons acting as  the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase Debt Securities from the Company pursuant to
contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with
which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension  funds,  investment  companies,  educational  and  charitable
institutions  and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by
the Company. The obligations  of any purchaser under  any such contract will  be
subject  to the condition that the purchase  of the Debt Securities shall not at
the time of delivery be prohibited under  the laws of the jurisdiction to  which
such  purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have
any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
 
                        VALIDITY OF THE DEBT SECURITIES
 
    The validity of the Debt Securities  offered hereby will be passed upon  for
Penn Traffic by Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine, New York, New York, and for any
underwriters  by  Sullivan &  Cromwell, New  York, New  York. Such  counsel will
express no opinion as to federal or state laws relating to fraudulent transfers.
See "Certain Factors -- Fraudulent Conveyance."
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The consolidated financial statements of  Penn Traffic incorporated in  this
Prospectus  by reference to the  Annual Report on Form  10-K for the fiscal year
ended January 30,  1993, as amended  by Amendment  No. 1 thereto  filed on  Form
10-K/A  on May 21, 1993 and  by Amendment No. 2 thereto  filed on Form 10-K/A on
November 29, 1993,  and the  statements of assets  acquired and  of store  level
operations  of the Insalaco Supermarkets acquired by Penn Traffic for the fiscal
year ended January 2, 1993 appearing in Amendment No. 1 dated November 24,  1993
to  Penn Traffic's Form 8-K dated October  8, 1993, have been so incorporated in
reliance on the reports of  Price Waterhouse, independent accountants, given  on
the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
    Documents  incorporated  herein  by  reference in  the  future  will include
financial statements,  related schedules  (if  required) and  auditors'  reports
which  financial statements and  schedules will have been  audited to the extent
and for the periods  set forth in  such reports by the  firm or firms  rendering
such  reports and, to the extent such financial statements are so audited and to
the extent  that  consent  to  incorporation by  reference  is  given,  will  be
incorporated  herein by reference  in reliance upon such  reports given upon the
authority of such firms as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
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    NO  PERSON  HAS BEEN  AUTHORIZED  TO GIVE  ANY  INFORMATION OR  TO  MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR  THE
PROSPECTUS  AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE,  SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT
BE RELIED UPON  AS HAVING BEEN  AUTHORIZED. THIS PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT AND  THE
PROSPECTUS DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO
BUY  ANY  SECURITIES  OTHER THAN  THE  SECURITIES DESCRIBED  IN  THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT OR AN  OFFER TO  SELL OR  THE SOLICITATION OF  AN OFFER  TO BUY  SUCH
SECURITIES IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL.
NEITHER  THE DELIVERY  OF THIS PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT OR THE  PROSPECTUS NOR ANY
SALE MADE HEREUNDER  OR THEREUNDER  SHALL, UNDER ANY  CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE  ANY
IMPLICATION  THAT THE INFORMATION  CONTAINED HEREIN OR THEREIN  IS CORRECT AS OF
ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE OF SUCH INFORMATION.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       PAGE
                                                     ---------
<S>                                                  <C>
Summary............................................        S-3
Certain Factors....................................        S-6
Recent Same Store Sales Information................        S-7
Use of Proceeds....................................        S-8
Capitalization.....................................        S-9
Selected Consolidated Financial Data...............       S-10
Description of Senior Notes........................       S-13
Underwriting.......................................       S-16
Validity of the Senior Notes.......................       S-16
 
                          PROSPECTUS
Available Information..............................          2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference....          2
The Penn Traffic Company...........................          3
Recent History.....................................          4
Certain Factors....................................          5
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.................          7
Use of Proceeds....................................          7
Description of Debt Securities.....................          8
Certain Transactions...............................         35
Terms of Financing Agreements......................         36
Plan of Distribution...............................         38
Validity of the Debt Securities....................         38
Experts............................................         39
</TABLE>
 
                                  $100,000,000
 
                            THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
 
                                    % SENIOR NOTES
                            DUE               , 2006
 
                                  -----------
 
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
                                  -----------
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
                           BT SECURITIES CORPORATION
 
                              MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                                  INCORPORATED
 
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