DQ Grill & Chill Opens In Mastic

MASTIC, NY — As promised, Blizzards have finally arrived in Mastic.

A DQ Grill & Chill featuring a sit-down restaurant and drive-thru service window opened its doors next to Carpet Express on Montauk Highway on April 4.

The popular fast food franchise with roots in Joliet, IL is best known for its tasty burgers, fries, and cheese curds — not to mention its ice cream treats, which include not only Blizzards, but also Dilly Bars, shakes, and signature cakes.

In a recent Facebook post, Brookhaven Town Councilman Dan Panico announced that the restaurant would open, crediting its owner Ben Bathija for moving forward with the project despite a personal tragedy.

"This post is not about Dairy Queen, it is about the incredible resilience of a person, and his family, after the unimaginable tragedy of losing his young daughter in a tragic fire at his house," he wrote.

Bathija's daughter, Tanya Bathija, died in a cottage fire back in December.

Bathija "woke up before dawn to see smoke and flames coming out of the cottage that his daughter, Tanya, lived and slept in," Panico wrote, adding that neither the Dad nor first responders could save her. "His daughter had hoped to follow in his footsteps and we had recently cut the ribbon on her first business franchise."

Tanya Bathija was reportedly the owner of the new Dunkin' in Bellport.

When Panico and his colleague, Neil Foley, later met with Ben Bathija on another project in Blue Point, he offered the businessman his condolences, along with a hug.

"We pledged that we would do everything we could to help him, and I have been following and checking in with Ben on this project on more than a weekly basis," he wrote.

Panico said Bathija would like to schedule a ribbon-cutting "once it warms up and he finishes the landscaping to close out his final [certificate of occupancy.]

"It is my hope that many will attend that ribbon cutting and provide the kindness that this world needs to help heal their hearts," he added.

Patch has reached out to Bathija for comment.