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Dine-ah Header
March 20, 2014
                         Happy Spring!? Well, sort of.... 
                
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           Friendly Reminder .... Mid Week Hours               
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - Lunch and Dinner Only
new open time at 11 am 'til 8 pm
Friday & Saturday - 7 am to 9 pm
Sunday - 7 am to 3 pm Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Closed Mondays 
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- Chef's Weekly Feature -
Creamy Chicken Pesto with Bow Ties

 
Creamy Chicken Pesto
Sauteed chicken strips in a creamy pesto alfredo sauce, tossed with bow tie pasta, served with garlic bread and a side salad. $13.95

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TRIVIA CONTEST  

  

 

Last week's trivia question was:
 

The China Dine-ah Too located on Route #3 in South China, which is being retained by Norm is changing it's name to what? 

 

The answer is ... Norm's!     

  

Winners of this week's Trivia Contest are

Mary Hughes of Old Town and Ron Corson of Madison 

 

     Winners were randomly selected from over 275 correct answers.

Thank you all for playing!   

  

Congratulations to Mary and Ron!    

 

 You will receive your $25 gift card in the mail shortly.

 

Look for our trivia question for this week and send in your answer.

You could win a $25 gift card to the China Dine-ah.  Good luck!


Find this week's trivia question below in the newsletter.  Hint: Our Trivia 
Question is always identified as "Trivia Question" in the newsletter.   

 

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TRIVIA QUESTION 


How many total meals has the China Dine-ah served under the leadership of Norm and Sherri since 2007 when we opened?

A. over 550,000
B. 250,000
C. 100,000
D. 50,000
 
   



Please retype security code in box provided to the right of code.


UPCOMING

EVENTS & NEWS

 


Tuesday Night Special
 Shepard's Pie  
 
 
~Wednesday's Special ~
12" Homemade
    Pizza and Beer specials! 

TRIVIA ON
WEDNESDAYS 6:30 pm!   

Thursdays
 
 "ALL YOU CAN EAT"
CHICKEN TENDERS!
Also,
Pot Roast
4 to 8 pm

 Friday & Saturday 
PRIME RIB!!
4 pm 'til close

Join us Sundays for the  
Breakfast Buffet!
Available every Sunday
from 7am to noon    
 


Easy Reference Menus


Ready for Lunch or Dinner? 
 to view our menu
of delicious priced just right meals!
 
 

Check out our yummy

Weekday Seasonal Specials

Click Here 

 

 

Enjoy
Gluten Free Dining  

at the Dine-ah   

Click Here  

 

  

GFTS review badge

 

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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!  
breakfast sampler jr
(Shown above is just a sample of some of the buffet items available!) 
(Beverages additional)

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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View 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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Contact Us 

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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