Beloved Wayne Diner Set To Close After Nearly 40 Years

WAYNE, NJ — Manny's Preakness Diner, which has served generations of Wayne residents, will be closing its doors permanently this weekend.

Owner John Lignos confirmed on Thursday that the beloved diner will be shutting its doors for good on Sunday, Jan. 13.

Manny's Preakness Diner has been a community fixture for many years.

"Everybody became family after a while because I grew up there since I was five years old. Our customers' kids grew up, so we got invited to every wedding, we went to every funeral, and we made sure we took care of the police department, the ambulance, and the county sheriff's department," Lignos said.

The restaurant, located at 1220 Hamburg Tpke in Wayne, was noted for its authentic and classic diner fare. Menu staples included fresh blueberry pancakes, omelets and a variety of sandwiches.

Lignos, who is the second-generation owner of the diner, announced the “sad news” on his personal Facebook page, saying, "Thanks to all the loyal customers, thank you for the support and love."

He later said by phone with Patch that Sunday is going to be a "very sad day" as they say goodbye.

"The whole town grew up in that little diner," Lignos said.

The decision to close stemmed from financial considerations.

According to Lignos, the pandemic played a significant role in its collapse, as the shopping complex now has fewer tenants and hence less foot traffic for the diner.

"All the stores went out after COVID. The whole mall is empty, and then the town was doing construction with the roads, so it took a big toll on us," Lignos said.

The Lignos family also operates the Lenape Valley Diner, located less than 5 miles away on Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland. He stated that all present employees of Manny's Preakness Diner will have job opportunities available there.

According to Lignos, the Lenape Valley Diner opened in December 2019.

"We have phenomenal, phenomenal customers. They're so supportive, it's unbelievable," Lignos said.