Friends had various running gags and traditions, of which many became part of pop culture, and one was broken just three times. The 1990s and early 2000s saw the emergence of many TV shows from different genres that are now considered classics, and among them is Friends. The sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kaufman broke records during its original run between 1994 and 2004, earning a place in TV history and among the greatest TV shows ever.

https://screenrant.com/friends-tv-central-perk-couch-occupied-episodes/