Nov 18, 2017 4 min read

CARMICHAELS – Debra Allen and Jackie Gifford knew when Yum Yum Tasty Diner in Waynesburg moved locations earlier this year, they didn’t want to stop serving breakfast, coffee and baked goods to their regulars.

Sheetz bought out the plaza that once contained the diner and other shops for its ongoing expansion. The popular diner moved across the street and has used the kitchen and restaurant area at Tommy Boy’s since March 1.

“We didn’t want to go to a bar, and we didn’t want to get our pay cut,” Gifford added.

Allen and Gifford worked at Yum Yum’s for more than 20 years. They did everything at the small diner and knew the ins and outs of the business.

So they opened DJ’s Family Diner, named for their first initials, in Carmichaels Plaza along Route 21. The diner has been open since Mother’s Day.

Loyal customers stuck with the pair and word of mouth has kept a steady stream of customers flowing in and out. Allen said it’s heartwarming that people were willing to travel a dozen miles just to come to their diner.

The two knew pretty much every aspect of the business except how to put all those pieces together at the beginning. They came into the former dialysis center and built their restaurant from scratch. Inventory, ordering supplies, cooking were the easy parts.

At DJ’s Family Diner, customers can expect a down-home meal made from scratch. They bake their own bread, rolls and buns. Everything is made to order. Nothing is cooked ahead and stuck under a warming lamp.

“Our mornings are steady, but our lunches are crazy,” Allen said.

One of their most popular dishes is the garbage plate, an amalgamation of sausage, ham, potatoes, eggs, peppers, onions and cheese with homemade bread.

Their baked goods are also popular and the peanut butter pie is a customer favorite.

And beyond just a good, hot meal, the restaurant is friendly and comfortable. They wanted a homey and clean place. Allen, Gifford and their servers are on a first-name basis with the regulars, who get a high-five before leaving. Children’s artwork is proudly displayed on a wall of fame in one corner. It’s a labor of love.

“It’s not just a job. You create a relationship with these people. They become, after you wait on them every day for years on end, they become family. And you get attached, you do get attached. You become family after you’re here,” Allen said.

Allen grew up in Crucible and went to school in Carmichaels. This is her hometown, and there aren’t that many restaurants nearby. People drive by and stop in. Workers getting off in the early hours have few other options for a bite to eat. That’s what led to their current location, rather than staying in Waynesburg.

Lots have followed Allen and Gifford to their new diner, like regular Jim Hughes. He’s been coming to DJ’s since it opened.

“I knew these girls when they worked at Yum Yum’s, so I followed them,” he said and keeps coming back for the food, the coffee and the company.

“Our customer base is everybody, from truckers to the older generation to the younger generation,” Allen said.

Of course, it’s satisfying starting their own business and setting their own hours.

“It’s just nice to be able to run your own business and work for yourself, as opposed to putting in all these hours and work that hard for somebody else. It’s just nice to do it, after all these years, for ourselves,” Allen said.

DJ’s Family Diner is open Monday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. They also do carry out. For more information, call 724-319-2399.

They’re also taking orders for holiday baked goods, like cookie trays and pies. Call one to two weeks in advance to place an order for a variety of sweet treats.