Not much has changed at Fred’s Diner since it opened 37 years ago. The North Hill outpost still serves breakfast all day. It still features daily specials that customers clamor for. And owner Fred Spencer can still be found at the diner every day it’s open.
One thing that has changed, though, is the prices.
“When I first opened, it was two eggs and toast for 99 cents,” Spencer said.
Today, it costs $4.49. Still a steal by modern standards.
It’s not just the affordable prices that keep people coming back to Fred’s. It’s the hearty home-cooked meals, the cozy, welcoming atmosphere and the affable staff, many of whom are related to Spencer.
“Three of my four kids work here. The fourth one obviously has common sense,” Spencer joked. “One granddaughter works here, and I got another one chomping at the bit. My daughter-in-law, she works here also.”
Spencer dreamed of owning a diner since childhood. Hanging on the wall by the jukebox at Fred’s is a picture of him as a kid. In the photo, he stands in front of a shed in his family’s backyard.
“I have a sign over the door that says Fred’s Diner,” Spencer said. “I had tin foil on the walls to make it look like stainless steel, and I sold hot dogs and potato chips when I was like 12 years old.”
Customers can still order a hot dog at Fred’s, but it now comes topped with coney sauce, cheddar cheese and onion. Besides breakfast standards, the diner also serves sandwiches, soups and salads, as well as heartier options such as country-fried steak with sausage gravy. The diner’s daily specials, including a delicious pot roast on Sunday, often sell out long before the diner closes.
In its almost four-decade run, Fred’s Diner has witnessed many changes. The closure of Chapel Hill Mall. Bridge construction on Tallmadge Avenue that stalled business for months. The COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, Fred’s has remained a welcoming place for people to sit and enjoy a meal.
While there are family members willing to take over the diner, Spencer isn’t ready to hang up his spatula.
“A lot of my friends, they retire and they have nothing to do. They go, ‘What am I going to do next?’ I have something to do,” Spencer said. “I’m just gonna keep working until I can’t. I feel great.”
1st place:
Fred’s Diner
930 Home Ave., North Hill
330-535-3733
Friday-Monday: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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2nd place:
The Eye Opener
330-867-1114
1688 W. Market St., Wallhaven
3rd place:
Akron Family Restaurant
330-376-0600
250 W. Market St., West Hill
