Repairs and renovations to a St. Joe’s favorite dining spot.
Update: The opening of Llanerch Diner was moved to December 11 because of the kitchen installation and pending inspection.
The Llanerch Diner, a 24-hour eatery located at 95 E. Township Line Rd. in Upper Darby and popular among St. Joe’s students, was originally scheduled to open a week after a kitchen fire closed the diner on July 24. Instead, extensive renovations have pushed the diner’s reopening to Nov. 13.
Mark Klein, owner of the Llanerch Diner, said grease from frying bacon overheated and caught fire while breakfast was being cooked. The Upper Darby Fire Department quickly extinguished the blaze, but the kitchen’s refrigeration system was “messed up,” according to Klein.
With an unworkable kitchen, the diner was forced to close for much longer than originally estimated. The building was required to be evaluated and new equipment needed to be installed.
“We’re taking an old Corvette and putting a new engine in it,” Klein said.
The refurbished diner will seat 90 people, and will still include the famous booth featured in the movie “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Built in 1964, the Llanerch Diner has been a favorite among St. Joe’s students up until its unexpected closure.
The Llanerch Diner in Upper Darby, Pa. (Photo by Luke Malanga ’20).
Mike Koury ’20 said his fondest memory of the diner is when he went late in the night with a large group of about 20 other students.
“It was just a great night hanging out, chatting, eating,” Koury said.
Amanda Strydio ’19 has also frequented the diner for the past two years, often with other students involved in SJU’s Theatre Company productions.
After opening nights, students would head to Llanerch for a late-night breakfast.
“I kind of feel bad for everyone there because we take up the whole right side of the building,” Strydio said.
Strydio, who is from Monmouth County, New Jersey, knows how to choose her diners.
“I come from a place where there are a lot of diners,” Strydio said. “It’s [Llanerch] the only diner that feels like home.”
T.J Stackhouse ’18 frequented the diner on opening nights as well, often for a stack of late-night pancakes, his favorite item on the menu.
“My Twitter bio was inspired by the Llanerch Diner menu,” Stackhouse said. “When it comes to pancakes, there are no rules.’ It comes straight off the menu.”
For students interested in learning what goes into those famous pancakes, the Llanerch Diner is now hiring. Many of the eatery’s veteran employees will return once the diner opens, but Klein said he is hiring additional workers to replace those who have left in the wake of the closure.
