Peterpank Diner (Official)

On December 17, 1957 Margarets Midway Diner became Peterpank Diner We owned a sixty-eight acre farm in Holmeson, NJ., part of which is now Great Adventure. We traded properties and an additional sum of money and became diner owners.

The name Peterpank (the most frequently asked question about the diner) was derived from the partners' last names, Petermann and Panko, all family. We preferred the name Peter Pan but that trade name was already in use, thus the addition of a K becoming Peterpank.

The original diner purchased had six booths and twelve stools for a seating capacity of thirty-six people. In the early sixties we purchased our first brand new modern stainless steel diner, which sat one hundred ten. We now have grown to seat two hundred forty

In September of 1978, we had an electrical fire, which caused us to be closed for remodeling until July, 1979. At this time we purchased our second brand new Swingle Diner plus we added a dining room & purchased a liquor license from Ye Old Spye Inn who incidently also had a fire.

In 1992 we added a second dining room and six years later we remodeled the entire diner & added again a small addition to our dining room. At this time customers were very interested in getting mementos from the diner. A great many bricks from our fireplace & the front of the building were distributed. One customer asked for a light fixture which we gladly gave to him.

Three of the original partners have passed away, but the diner is now operating with three generations of Pankos.