Richie's Real American Diner Building In Murrieta Up For Sale

MURRIETA, CA — As of 2023, Richie's Real American Diner had been "pleasin’ people with good country cookin’" for 32 years — 18 of those years being at the corner of Murrieta Hot Springs Road and Hancock Avenue.

Now the building that houses the popular Murrieta restaurant known for its extra-large meal portions and family-friendly atmosphere is for sale, according to WestMar Commercial Real Estate listing agent Jerry Palmer.

The asking price for the 6,966-square-foot building at 40651 Murrieta Hot Springs Road is $4,795,000. The offering includes the restaurant's physical improvements and everything inside it, along with a triple net lease that contains no landlord responsibilities. The restaurant will continue to be run by the family, explained Palmer, who shares the listing with Scott Forest also of WestMar Commercial Real Estate.

More than 50 years ago, Richie's founders Jack and Linda Williams were married and began their food-industry journey. Together, they dreamed up the “Real American Diner” concept: old-fashioned country cooking using the best ingredients, served by a friendly, courteous staff devoted to “pleasin’ people.”

The dream became reality in 1991 when the pair opened the first Richie’s Diner in Temecula. In the mid-aughts, the Murrieta location at MHS Road began welcoming hungry patrons. More locales followed, but Richie's remained a family-owned-and-operated business.

The MHS Road building that houses Richie's has never been owned by the Williams family.

"The restaurant itself is not changing hands," Palmer reiterated.

The Richie's lease expires March 31, 2035.

That might make many Murrieta restaurant-goers very happy.

On October 4, 2022, Jack and Linda Williams were recognized by the city of Murrieta for the positive impact the restaurant has had on the community.

Sadly, Jack died in 2018 at the age of 84, though Linda was on hand for the city's recognition ceremony. Surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and Richie's managers, Linda told the audience gathered at City Hall how much she loves working in her restaurants.

"It's just been a joy in my life," Williams said. "It's been a wonderful experience for me."

For more information about the Richie's listing, click here.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the restaurant was for sale. The article has been updated to clarify that the building, not Richie's, is for sale.