"I changed the name and started fresh," recalls Lisa Vegter of taking over That 50’s Diner. "It was an adventure, but I was determined."
It was a big leap of faith for Lisa, who had been a server at the diner for years before stepping into the owner's shoes, but she knew the business thoroughly and was ready for a challenge. "It was tough at first because I had to work hard to win back customers," she recalls. "The food has to be great, but the service has to be awesome."
Lisa serves reliable diner fare from breakfast through to early dinner with a later opening on Fridays. Clientele are a reflection of the local commercial and social life. As soon as they clock off, shift workers drop in first thing in the morning for a dish from the extensive all-day breakfast menu while professionals frequent the spot at lunchtime. Dinnertime sees local families coming by for their regular visit. "I'm really big on creating a family environment,” she smiles. “There’s no alcohol here."
The food is just okay, and we had the worst service. I know restaurants are busy on the weekend, but it was ridiculous. When we entered, we were told there were no tables for us and we could sit outside if we wanted. We waited for the other half of our party and were ignored when they arrived until we asked if we could still sit outside. Service was slow, and after the meal we waited 15 minutes after the bill arrived before wondering if we were supposed to pay inside... When we went back in, we were ignored for another five minutes before I irritatedly asked if we could pay... Only to be told that other tables had been waiting 10 minutes for the debit machine, so we'd have to continue to wait. We ended up throwing down some cash and leaving after an almost two hour long breakfast debacle.
I had an amazing time at this Diner. My friend recommended it to me. My friends and I went to the diner on the weekend it was a little packed but that was fine. The waitress showed us to a sit in the corner with a great big smile on her face and asking us how are day has been so far. It was my first time there so I asked the waitress what was one of her favorite things to eat here, she said the open faced hot turkey and the California scramble. So at her recommendations i picked the California scramble. It’s a toasted muffin with scrambled eggs with green peppers and tomatoes mixed into it with a little bit of hollandaise sauce and feta sprinkled onto it with home fries on the side. And not even 7 minutes later our food is all ready coming out to us; I couldn’t believe it came out so fast. It looked and tasted great.
That 50's Diner offers great food, fast and friendly service, and all at a very affordable price.
What more can you ask for?
I will admit, I am addicted to the "works" omelet and the coffee is better than Tim Horton's.
If you visit on the weekend, make sure you ask for the Weekend Special. For only $9.99, you get an omelet with unlimited toppings, four pieces of toast, homefries, a fruit cup, and your coffee is included!
Or if you want to try something different, the California Scramble is excellent. Scrambled eggs on an english muffin drizzled with hollandaise and served with homefries. Delicious.
And for those who want to remember "the good ol' days", each booth is equipped with an authentic 1950's jukebox, so you can drop a quarter in the slot and listen to your favourite oldies tune.
That 50's Diner also offers a take-out option, but
I highly recommend that you dine-in and their friendly servers will make you feel right at home.
I work at a restaurant myself and when my co-workers and I feel like going out for breakfast we always end up at 50's. The food is amazing the service is even better. If we ever do have to wait in line it's only for about 5 mins tops. Our drinks are at the table within seconds of ordering and the food is quick to follow.
