[rickzach]

Donna Jean's becomes Weirs Diner - our first visit was today.

We've been going to Donna Jean's and other very good breakfast places for decades now. We are also full-time residents. so we like to try them all.

Under the new owners:

Positive: The new docks are excellent and a huge improvement!
Positive: The outside seems to be in a clean-up process
Positive: They are open!
Positive: Moderate prices
Positive: Our server was quick, friendly


Needs work: Fit , finish, presence, image, first impressions. To some people this is of little importance but to me these characteristics define what the owners are thinking... and this goes for any company no matter what they do. Our first impressions were that the drive-by sign displayed no character. In fact it reminded me of a cartoon where the only sign was a neon thing that said "EAT" where the A buzzed and flashed. When we were going inside, the windows had little in them to suggest that they were open or even suggested a welcome. The only thing that we noticed viewing through the window were the tubs for dirty dishes. Once we sat down, the placemats were the previous Donna Jean's placements turned white side up. To me this was screaming to expect that some corners were being cut. The inside decor was lacking some hard-to-describe sense of "welcome", etc. It was somehow bland but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Needs work: The food. I ordered my usual basic breakfast of three eggs over easy, bacon, etc. The eggs were fine but the bacon was cold and very mushy. My wife ordered the waffles and she thought that they were thin and too mushy inside.

We came into our first visit under the new owners with anticipation of a new experience but it just wasn't there.

At the other extreme for breakfast is "Kitchen Kravings" with superior food and a fantastic atmosphere but at a slightly higher pricepoint. Some places in the middle are "The Union Diner", "Georges", "Ames Farm Inn" and "Our Place" which are basic breakfast places that deliver the goods time after time. Less so with "Country Cook'n" in Gilford (many times a surly waitstaff, one time with a green fly in my omelet).

My guess is that the new owners of the former Donna Jean's are new to the diner business because they just skipped the important dining magic of what keeps customers coming back. And many other diners have figured that out early in the game.

The waterfront location is very unique so no matter what, many boating customers will come for a first visit. But if the non-descript front and rear signage is a flag as to how the new owners apply their craft, my guess is they they need to take a closer look at how others ply their trade.

But thank you for the new docks!