Hot Dog!

By Ryan Saxton
Special to the Coastal Point

	Coastal Point • RYAN SAXTON Breakfast or hot dogs galore, the Bethany Beach Diner is striving to fill all tastes and cravings.

Located just off the Bethany boardwalk on Garfield Parkway, at the previous site of a miniature golf course, the diner offers a lively jump back into the 1950’s. Once inside, it is impossible to ignore the retro blue-and-pink attire worn by the friendly staff. Posters of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley line the wall. Vintage chrome bar stools and retro aluminum-edged tables await hungry customers.

The welcoming atmosphere takes diners, immediately, making it hard to believe that the Bethany Beach Diner is less than two months old.

“We opened about August 14th this summer,” said Lynn Rickards, who owns and runs the diner along with her husband, Jim. “Although it was late in the season, we still had a lot of business.”

The diner’s trendy style adds a nostalgic taste of American tradition that Bethany had yet to offer. And it was only a matter of time before Lynn and her husband moved to the area, she said. The Rickards name dates back as one of the first families to establish residency in the town of Ocean View, in 1889.

Originally from Fairfax, Va., Lynn Rickards is no stranger to the restaurant business. “I’ve been working in restaurants for 10 years,” she said, from fine dining to casual seafood. “This is the first time I’ve worked with a breakfast menu, though.”

Judging from the various breakfast dishes served any time of the day, however, one would never know.

If it’s not breakfast you’re after, try your hand at the extensive hot dog selection. Every brand you know and love is provided at Bethany Beach Diner. Oscar Meyer — they have it. Ballpark — they have it. Nathan’s — yep, they have Nathan’s, too. Beef dogs, chicken dogs, turkey dogs, kosher dogs; simply ordering “a plump frank with mustard” is just not specific enough here. Soy dogs, organic dogs; there is surely a hot dog here that will please anyone. The diner doesn’t shy from the condiment selection either.

Still not sure if it’s a dog you want? Burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, wraps and quesadillas will guarantee you go home with a satisfied stomach. And remember, no visit to a diner is complete without a tall, thick milkshake.

If the ambiance of the diner doesn’t do it for you now, the changes in store for the upcoming seasons are sure to tempt anyone. “We’re going to be adding on a lot,” said Lynn Rickards. “We will be bringing in jukeboxes and neon lights.” She also plans on changing the window-front tables into a tall countertop with soda-fountain stools.

Rickards said she and her husband are optimistic about their restaurant’s future. “Hopefully, people will begin to make this part of their Bethany tradition.”