Peterpank still cookin' after half a century
Anniversary has special meaning to business owner
BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ACKER Top: Peterpank Diner employees pose for a photograph at the diner last week. From left to right are head cook Sedat Cakici, of Sayreville; waitress Susan Westfall, of South Amboy; owner Alex Panko Jr., of Sayreville; manager Mary Sohor, of Old Bridge; and Panko's son and cook, Joseph Bragg. At left: Peterpank Diner cashier Stephanie Souza, of Sayreville, rings up a customer's order at the Route 9 eatery, which celebrated its 50th anniversary Monday.

SAYREVILLE- One of the town'smost visible, and beloved, eateries is celebrating a rare milestone this month.

The PeterpankDiner, Route 9, opened its doors 50 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1957, notes Alex Panko Jr., the diner's owner, who is originally fromthe Colonia section ofWoodbridge. For the past six years, Panko has lived next door to the diner in his late aunt's house, which he also stayed in at times during his youth.

"I grew up there," Panko said. "I stayed there since I was a kid."

The anniversary is significant to Panko, since he said that his father,Alex,wanted to see the business reach its 50th anniversary. He passed away in 2004.

"For any business to stay in business for 50 years is a nice thing, butmy father,when he got sick, he had cancer, and we all went as a family to the doctor with him," Panko said. "My father said that if he got five years, he'd be happy. He'd get closer to 80 [years old] and he'd get to see the diner hit 50 years. Of course, he didn't make that."

But the anniversary is all the more special, and is being celebrated in the elder Panko's memory.

This month, the diner has celebratory offers in commemoration of its anniversary, including specials for steady customers and 50-cent cups of coffee for all patrons. The diner is also donating money to charity for the holidays.

Mary Sohor, manager of the 24-hour business, noted how the diner has remained a family operation for half a century. Three of the original partners have passed away, but the diner has been run by three generations of the Panko family.

Sohor has been an employee of Peterpank Diner for 25 years, starting out as a waitress.

The restaurant was first known asMargaret's Midway Diner before it became the Peterpank Diner. The name Peterpank is a combination of the last names of the business' original partners, Petermann and Panko.

The original diner seated 36 customers; it nowhas a seating capacity of 240.

Despite its growth over the years, the diner is like a second home to many people, and many of the workers and customers are like a family. This is clear in the diner's tradition of making special arrangements to have meals prepared for customers who will be alone while the diner is closed for the holidays.

"Some of these people don't have a family or anything. You become a part of their family and they become a part of your family," Panko said. "When my father passed away, I can't tell you how many customers were there."

While eating a meal at the diner last week with her brother, Nathan, Old Bridge resident Amanda Miller said her family members have been regular patrons of the business since 1983.

"It's fantastic food, great people," Miller said. "During the summermy brother and I cook at home, but during the winter we come here to eat."

NathanMiller said the business has long been a hangout bymany people in the area.

"Everybody has a story about the Pank," he said. "It's our institution."

Panko said it is because of the people who come into the diner that running the business is a pleasure.Meeting new and old friends is the best part, he said.

"It's not run strictly like a business, and this is the right thing to do," Panko said. "It's run more from the heart."