New Holiday Diner, serving the greater Danbury area located at 123 White St. has decided to change it hours from 24 hours to Mon-Sun 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. And in early January 2012 when the changes were permanent, many of the diners’ loyal customers were disappointed.
According to Bill Psarofagis, manager at New Holiday Diner, who co-owns with his two sons Tom and George, the decision to change their hours of service was a culmination of a few noticeable changes in business and profit. “Since the slow decline of the economy,” he said, “we’ve noticed the cost of remaining open as a 24 hour diner has become a strain. The economy has everyone paying very close attention to the spending of every penny. So, a definite decrease in profit is the main reason why we’ve changed our hours.” Despite their struggle during the weak economy, and mine, it’s the affordability they provide why I continue to be a loyal customer at New Holiday Diner.
The managers at New Holiday Diner agreed that the change of hours as well as providing incentives to its customers such as the Senior/Danbury Hospital Discount and the WestConn/NVCC discount of 10%, will keep the customers coming. “We’ve also decided to give New Holiday a much needed restoration, somewhat a facelift. To be able to pay for the new, more efficient point of sale systems, extended menu, and specialty breakfasts, we need to be able to balance the books first, while still supporting our employees,” George Psarofagis added, a 2008 WestConn alum with a B.A. in Finance.
Loyal customers, like myself, have been directly affected by the hours of service change. Kayana McCalla, a senior from WestConn pursuing her B.A. Political Science, has not only found New Holiday Diner convenient, but affordable. “Since 2008, my freshman year, my friends and I have been walking from Midtown campus to New Holiday at any time of the night, especially when it was midterms or finals week and we were up late at night studying, to grab a quick bite to eat. The food is good, the service is great and New Holiday offers us the 10% discount which is awesome,” she says.
“It’s a definite disappointment,” says Denise Roberts, also a senior at WestConn who lives at Brookview Commons, located within 5 minutes of New Holiday. “I was let down when I learned that our local diner was closing at 9 p.m. instead of remaining 24 hours. But, I look forward to their facelift and the decision to change their hours doesn’t mean I’ll support New Holiday any less.”
In addition to the facelift, New Holiday must continue to support their few civil projects such as the Danbury Bulldogs Baseball Team, Danbury Police Department PAL and the Annunciation Orthodox Church to name just a few. In partnership with these local organizations, New Holiday helps to sponsor community events, such as the August 2011 Danbury Police Department PAL ‘Bob Dinardo Memorial Golf Tournament’ where they provided food. “Organized for the purposes of providing, developing and maintaining a club, facilities and athletic and educational programs for boys and girls, Danbury Police Department PAL, has received a great deal of support from New Holiday Diner and they always do their best to help,” said their secretary, Debbie Fako.
As loyal customers, our part is important. We have to continue to support the events and civil projects sponsored by New Holiday Diner. Take a visit soon and check out the new look and the improvement of efficient service. Our continued support is important to the sustainment of success to our local diner. As George Psarofagis gestures to a booth to seat a senior citizen couple, he says, “We hope that with all these changes we can become a consistent business with increased improvements to food quality, service and all around experience. Come in and support!”
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