JOIN US FOR OUR FAMOUS SUNDAY BUFFET BREAKFAST
Breakfast is THE most important meal of the day!
Come and get yours at the China Dine-ah!
 (Shown above is just a sample of some of the buffet items available!)
7 am to 11:30 am - Full Breakfast Menu and Breakfast Buffet
11:30 'til noon - Breakfast Buffet or Full lunch and dinner menu
noon to 3 pm - Full lunch and dinner menu
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V iew from the Corner Booth
Good day to all!
This past week has been another crazy one for me. Crazy but good. We received the most responses from the newsletter on any issue, I have ever written. With the news of the Dine-ah changing hands, I fully expected to get a lot of heart felt notes from so many of you, that I have come to know both personally and through writing (modern day pen pal). This morning, I just finished getting back to all of you, who had written notes and comments. Usually I try to have this cleaned up by Tuesday evening, so that my responses and the following weeks newsletter do not run into each other. I'm afraid that they may have for a few of you this week. My apologies.
I am thrilled that so many of you know Lisa and believe that I could not have made a better choice, as I turn the Dine-ah over to the next owner. There has been a little concern (four or five of you that wrote) that a lounge in the rear of the building will change the face of the family restaurant. I don't believe it will, Lisa does not want it to and she is working with a design, so that it doesn't. Possible separate entrances and possibly separate rest rooms. If you look at the large chains, they all do it without issue. This is something that I had in my business plan to do at the 5 year mark, but I just ran out of gas. The future success of the China Dine-ah is going to depend on supplementing the restaurant with a tastefully done lounge that will help carry the establishment during the nine months that summer people are not here vacationing.
I met with Lisa and her daughter Ashley this morning, as I'm going to do on a regular basis until the actual closing and maybe a bit beyond. Both are very excited and have every intent to continue business as usual, while making a few subtle changes where they see fit. They are currently talking with Sherri and Meagan to see what roles they would like to continue in and I am sure it is all going to work out just fine. ( I do have some inside information.) Also, at the end of the meeting, I was very honored that Lisa asked me if I would be her mentor. I graciously agreed and reiterated the fact that "I feel like I am selling my baby and no one wants it to stay healthy, more than I."
I wanted to take a quick minute and share what we have been doing for the last six years. Since we opened, we have served over 550,000 meals, of which each and every one was prepared individually. Of those 550,000 meals, I have some interesting stats that I would like to share, by meal and menu item:
Breakfast
2 eggs, meat and toast - 18,159 big breakfast - 7,128 sampler - 6,510 weekend buffet - 14,895 (not including kids and seniors, started in 2008)
Cold & Hot Sandwiches
Reuben - 9,150 (a portion were dinners) BLT - 5,142 8 oz cheeseburger - 12,180
Appetizers & Soups
crab stuffed mushrooms - 5,610 potato skins - 4,835 French onion soup - 7,907 cup or bowl of seafood chowder - 14,430
Dinner
Prime rib dinner (10, 12, 16 or 32 oz) - 17,810 chicken tender dinner - 14,054 Baked stuffed haddock - 12,290 meatloaf - 10,090 Dessert
piece of pie - 24,953 cream puffs - 6,893
I'm not sure, what you think of these numbers, but if you talk to anyone in the family owned restaurant business, I think they would agree, that they are pretty impressive. What I have listed are some of our top sellers in each of the different menu categories. What would be very interesting is if you could tell me how may of each one of these was yours? Just kidding, but feel free to tell me if you wish. You know how much I love to hear from each and every one of you, but please bear with me, if you don't get a response from me until next Thursday morning. LOL
If all goes well, I only have three or four more newsletters to write before I "pass the torch." If there are any hiccups along the way, you may have me for another six or eight newsletters but i sure hope not. I need to get over to "Norm's" and start the process, so that I can open that operation up in the middle of June.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Norm
p.s. Please feel free to ask any questions or express any concerns you may have. No one wants Lisa to do well more than I do! She has 12 years experience in the restaurant and catering business and is entering into this with her eyes wide open. Don't worry about redeeming gift cards, for I am setting the entire amount of our gift card liability in an account, to ensure any gift cards purchased during my ownership will be honored.
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Want to be a March winner? Come in Today and Enter!
1st Prize winner - $50 Dine-ah gift card
2nd Prize winner - $25 Dine-ah gift card
3rd Prize winner - $25 Dine-ah gift card
4th Prize winner - $25 Dine-ah gift card
Come in NOW to enter for a chance to win in March.
Winners will be randomly selected on March 30th.
Thank you all for entering and good luck!
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Visit our website link below for directions, menus, and other information. Click on the
"Directions/Contact" section and then click on "Contact Us" to send an e-mail.
The China Dine-ah
281 Lakeview Drive
China, ME 04358 Phone ~ 445-5700
Because we use the information you provide us from our drawings and giveaways, you might be re-entered into our e-mail list. We take every precaution to avoid this, but if it happens, look below for choices to fit your needs. If you have a comment or suggestion, you can click on the link above to e-mail us directly.
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