Save Our Diners! NJ Senator Files SODA POP Act
WOULD NEW JERSEY even be New Jersey if the Garden State didn't have diners? (Getty)
By Paul Moriarty
Some of my fondest memories of New Jersey are eating with family and friends at diners across the state.
When you walk into a family-owned diner, you can expect not only a good meal, but also to be treated like one of their own. And where else can you get breakfast at midnight or chicken parm before work in the morning?
Eating and spending time at these establishments is part of what makes living in New Jersey so special. Visitors can find one right on the highway and stop by anytime for food during a road trip.
It’s part of our DNA and our history. So when these diners struggle and shut down, the communities they serve feel it.
As a legislator from South Jersey, I’ve heard from many folks whose local diners have closed in the past few years. I’ve also heard from families who have had to shut down their businesses because of crippling financial pressures, even though they had been in operation for decades.
Cherry Hill Diner, which had been operating for 58 years, permanently closed three years ago and now sits abandoned. Collingswood Diner was sold last year by its owner after 50 years in business and will be converted into a cannabis dispensary.
Examples across the state go on and on. In the past decade alone, it’s estimated that well over 100 diners shuttered their doors.
It’s incredibly disheartening to see because these closures affect not only the owners, but also the communities, families, and visitors they serve.
Diners don’t just serve food; they support schools, sports teams, and fellow local businesses. Losing a local diner means losing an anchor in the community.
However, there are still diners holding on to hope. Although it has become increasingly difficult to make a profit due to rising labor costs, repair expenses, and rent, these businesses are persevering because they know their communities rely on them.
I’ve seen these struggles up close. I’ve had several opportunities to visit historic, family-owned establishments like the Meadows Diner in Blackwood, where expenses have risen sharply over the past year, stretching finances and workers thin.
Many others have been forced to significantly cut their hours. Once a staple of the Garden State, the 24-hour diner is now increasingly difficult to maintain.
This is why I introduced the “Saving Our Diners and Preserving Our Past Act,” legislation that would help get historic diners the support they need.
The bill would create an annual historic diner and restaurant registry that would include establishments that qualify as small businesses, are owned and operated by family members, and have been open for at least 25 years.
For the beloved eateries that qualify, the support would be life-changing. They would receive a tax credit of up to $25,000 a year and would not have to charge the 6.625% sales tax to customers, saving money and encouraging more business. They would also receive a plaque and designation as a historic diner or restaurant to attract visitors.
It’s a commonsense solution. These diners have served us for years and are a huge part of our culture. They also offer an experience you can’t get at a drive-through or chain restaurant.
At chains, you’re rarely going to find the character, atmosphere, and sense of community that historic diners provide.
It should be our responsibility to preserve these spaces and throw them a lifeline, especially when they create jobs and support communities across the state. Creating a registry of historic diners will also bring tourism to New Jersey and increase foot traffic. After all, we are known as the diner capital of the world.
The SODA POP Act already has broad support, advancing from committees in the Senate and Assembly. Now is the time to get this passed in both houses and onto the governor’s desk so diners that are already stretched thin are not forced to close.
In the meantime, share a meal at your local diner with family or friends. Find a booth under the chrome and neon lights, browse menus filled with delicious food, and reconnect with a piece of Jersey history. It will be well worth your time.
Paul Moriarty represents portions of Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester counties in the New Jersey Senate.
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