Every time a diner—a restaurant typically owned by Greek Americans—closes, I feel a tightening in my heart. It’s a loss not only for the customers, the owners, and the employees but also for the Greek-American community as a whole.

Recently, the “Lindencrest Diner” at 330 W Montauk Hwy in Lindenhurst, Long Island, closed its doors. The news spread widely through local media, accompanied by a heartbreaking note posted by the owners on the door.

They wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of the Lindencrest Diner due to financial difficulties. We want to thank all the customers and staff who supported us for 39 years. Once again, we express our sadness, and we will miss you. Andy and Fotis.”
After… 39 years!

There was a time when almost all diners were owned by Greeks. These establishments were the go-to places for tens of thousands of Greek immigrants who arrived from Greece, often without knowledge of the English language or the conditions in this country.

These jobs provided them with a means to earn a living, support the families they left behind in a village in Greece, and even help marry off siblings. There was always a fellow countryman or a Greek-American who had arrived before them and would offer them a job. They started by washing dishes, moved up to cooking, and eventually, after a few years, they opened or bought their own diner, either alone or with partners.

Many diners operated 24 hours a day. The hours were long, the challenges were significant, and preparing the wide variety of meals was no easy task.
But customers, recognizing the quality, good service, and low prices, responded. They became loyal, daily patrons and encouraged their friends to do the same. The elderly, along with their friends, would meet there in the early evenings, drawn by the good prices.
Most managed to succeed. They built substantial wealth, constructed homes in their hometowns, supported schools, churches, and their children’s education and marriages. For example, the father of Peter Peterson, former Secretary of Commerce and co-founder of the massive investment firm Blackstone, owned a diner in Nebraska, “without a key,” as Peterson wrote in his biography, with a hint of regret.
Additionally, and very importantly, they supported the Greek-American community, its churches, schools, and The National Herald.
Unfortunately, changes in the dining industry, and especially the impact of COVID-19, dealt a heavy blow from which many diners could not recover.

The “Lindencrest Diner” seems to be one such casualty.

Of course, not all diners are closing; some are opening, like “DinerLuxe” by Peter Serroukas and his son Dino in Connecticut.
Not all is lost for diners.

This is because what they offer cannot be found in other restaurants: good food, still-reasonable prices, and friendly service. For example, try the “Greenvale Townhouse Restaurant” at 49 Glen Cove Rd, Greenvale, Long Island, NY. Tel.: (516) 625-5300. You will be impressed.