A diner is named such because most customers come there to sit down and dine. Such businesses are not made for the take-out-only setup that COVID-19 forced restaurants to switch to earlier this year.

Tyler Wright is the owner of Our Place Diner in Ozark. He saw his business drop 75% with the loss of dine-in business. It still hasn’t returned to normal with limited seating and Wright said he can’t wait for the pandemic to end and the restrictions to be lifted.

Our Place Diner’s Big Bopper Burger one of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Through it all, Our Place Diner continued to pay – and feed – its employees. Customers have also stepped up to support the restaurant.

It helps when you have a legendary item on the menu that lends itself to takeout. The Big Bopper Burger has a big beef patty with special seasoning, two kinds of cheese and is topped with two giant, hand-breaded onion rings. It’s big, bold and delicious enough to earn a spot on the Alabama Tourism Department’s list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.

Our Place Diner in Ozark is rebounding after its COVID-19 losses. (Chad Allen / Alabama NewsCenter)