POPULAR PLACE: “I had been wanting to have my own place for a while, and the opportunity came along when the Red Oak Diner was available. The timing was right.” Jeff Delaney, new owner of the Red Oak Diner & Bakery, looks forward to bringing his restaurant experience to the longtime Montgomery diner.

Diners are fun. They’re often reminders of times past — stopping in with friends for a malt, cheeseburger, and French fries when you were a teen. They can be a perfect place when you’re in a hurry, with just time for a piece of pie and cup of coffee. They’re a great stopping spot to bring the family after a movie or sports event.

And, they can be so much more.

Take the Red Oak Diner & Bakery at 1217 Route 206 in Montgomery. Under new ownership, it offers a wide variety of choices, from typical traditional diner fare to entree specials for lunch and dinner, as well as Greek and Italian specialties, and seafood, such as shrimp scampi and broiled salmon.

“I thought this place had a lot of potential, and it’s a great location,” explains new owner Jeff Delaney. Based on his long experience in the restaurant business with his family, he brought with him definite ideas of how he envisaged the diner.

Complete Menu

“It goes beyond diner food. We are looking to add to the menu and keep it varied and fresh. We will include daily specials — with entree, soup, or salad and dessert. A complete menu. I believe the specials will set us apart. It will be quality food, quality service, and affordable prices. We want to provide a family atmosphere, and we have a children’s menu.”

Recent dinner specials, which are updated daily, include roasted pork loin, roast lamb, roasted tilapia, shrimp scampi, leg of lamb, baked pork chops, broiled salmon, and the always popular meat loaf. These specials (with soup or salad and dessert) range from $11.95 to $15.95.

Similar choices, also with soup or salad and dessert, are available for lunch, starting at $7.95.

“Baked pork chops are very popular,” says Mr. Delaney. “And, people always want the meat loaf — you can count on that! They also like the salads, especially the Greek salads, and the pita specials. People are definitely interested in healthier eating today. We try to get things locally, and the freshest ingredients are essential”

Big Sellers

Other favorites are the Greek specialty spanakopita, the traditional turkey club sandwich, and the array of hamburgers (from $5.15) and deli sandwiches. Baked ham on rye, grilled cheese, tuna melt, and the famous Reuben are all available.

Breakfast is offered throughout the day and night — eggs of every kind, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, and French toast are always big sellers.

And, certainly, the ice cream sodas, shakes, root beer floats, and various pies, cakes (including cheese cake), Danish, muffins, and brownies are here to stay at Red Oak.

Customers enjoy the friendly low key setting and atmosphere, reports Mr. Delaney. The diner is larger than it appears at first glance, with seating for more than 100 at the counter, restaurant-style tables, and booths. Many regular customers are coming in often and new faces are arriving too, he adds.

Busiest Times

“We have gotten very busy. The dinner crowd is getting busier, especially on weekends. Breakfast and lunch are very much in demand on weekdays, and brunch is popular on weekends too. A pattern will become evident, too, and we will see what are the busiest times with the most numbers of people.

“The customers are all across the board,” he says. “All ages, families, singles — everyone. The majority are local but we also have people who stop in when they are on the road. People often come to a diner because they are in a hurry, and they want a smooth and positive experience. What is so important is that we offer a seamless experience for customers. We want them to get service right away and have everything go smoothly. We strive to have the best staff, people who are well-trained, experienced, and welcoming.

“The pride comes from being able to provide quality food and have customers smile and be happy when they leave, and say ‘That was great!’ The compliments are really coming in, and we are so encouraged. It’s such positive feedback. People are really noticing the difference.”

Red Oak Diner & Bakery is open seven days 6 a.m. through 9 p.m. Hours will expand. (609) 430-8200. Website: www.redoakdinerandbakery.com.