<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000095585</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PATHMARK STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PTMK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001330612</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE YUCAIPA COMPANIES LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>9130 WEST SUNSET BLVD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90069</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6558100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series A Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3298674</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-06-09</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-06-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3298674</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series B Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4933698.17</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-06-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4933698.17</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) by and among the issuer, The Great Atlantic &amp; Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (&quot;A&amp;P&quot;) and Sand Merger Corp., dated March 4, 2007, each share of common stock of the issuer was converted into the right to receive $9.00 in cash and 0.12963 shares of A&amp;P common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">All of the reported securities are owned directly by the reporting person, but may be deemed to be beneficially owned indirectly by (i) Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, LLC (&quot;YAAF LLC&quot;), as the general partner of the reporting person, (ii) Yucaipa American Funds, LLC (&quot;YAF&quot;), as the managing member of YAAF LLC, (iii) Yucaipa American Management, LLC (&quot;YAM&quot;), as the managing member of YAF and (iv) Ronald W. Burkle, as managing member of YAM.  This report shall not be deemed an admission by YAAF LLC, YAF, YAM and/or Mr. Burkle that they are the beneficial owners of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Series A Warrants were exchanged for warrants to purchase 1,527,154.12 shares of A&amp;P common stock (subject to adjustment) at an exercise price of $18.36 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Series B Warrants were exchanged for warrants to purchase 2,284,104.90 shares of A&amp;P common stock (subject to adjustment) at an exercise price of $32.40 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The exercise period of the Series B Warrants commences on the earliest of (i) such time as none of Pathmark's 8 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 remains outstanding, (ii) such time as the price of Pathmark's common stock equals or exceeds the exercise price of the Series B Warrants, or (iii) upon any event constituting a &quot;Change of Control Event&quot; as defined in the indenture governing Pathmark's 8 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The address of each of YAAF LLC, YAF, YAM and Mr. Burkle is 9130 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90069.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Ronald W. Burkle</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert P. Bermingham</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
