Ryan K. Morris
Rob Ramsey
When Rob Ramsey opened his first Ramsey’s Diner 30 years ago, like many new restaurateurs he worked countless hours doing every job imaginable, from washing dishes to picking kale and paying the bills—whatever it took to get his new eatery off the ground.
Ramsey had previously worked for a Lexington steak house and was looking for other job opportunities. He ultimately decided to open his own restaurant. He opened the first Ramsey’s Diner on East High Street in April 1989 with a menu around tried-and-true recipes from his mother and ex mother-in-law, along with other dishes he developed on his own.
Along with all-day breakfast selections, Ramsey’s menu remains centered around a variety of Southern-leaning “meat and three” options, including meatloaf, fried chicken and three preparations of catfish, along with side items that include mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and pinto beans. For the calorie conscious, there are salads, a charbroiled yogurt chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread and a veggie hot brown as an alternative to the beloved original version.
Six months after opening its doors, business at Ramsey’s was already booming more than anticipated, so he opened Missy’s Pies Etc. next door to help free up oven space in the diner’s cramped kitchen. It was named for a lead prep cook he thought would run the pie shop but who at the last minute decided not to and moved to Connecticut. But even if Missy didn’t stick around, her name did, and the shop still offers a tempting array of pies like key lime, chocolate brownie, apple and cheesecake that also grace Ramsey’s menus.
Whitney Usher, pictured above with Ramsey, has been employed with the restaurant for more than a decade.
Other diner locations opened on Harrodsburg Road in a 100-year-old former general store building, and on Tates Creek Road. The original High Street location closed in 2014 to make way for the newest and largest location on West Zandale Drive, which seats about 140.
“They’re all exactly the same menu, the same pricing, same cash registers, same everything,” Ramsey said, explaining that this approach also makes it easier for employees to rotate among locations as needed.
He said no new locations are planned, and these days he delegates many of his old responsibilities to trusted staff members while still keeping a handle on day-to-day operations.
Though the four diners do a bustling business and employ 250 people, some signature signs of frugal times past remain. Employees still wear T-shirts with neckties, as Ramsey said he couldn’t afford to buy them uniforms to start and, on a whim, gave servers neckties out of his own closet to wear. The mismatched tables and chairs are accented by a hodgepodge of art, photos and vintage signs on the walls.
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Ramsey's Diner owner Rob Ramsey photographed at his Old Harrodsburg Road restaurant to recognize the 30th anniversary. All Photos by Ryan K. Morris 1. Bartender 2.
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Ramsey's Diner owner Rob Ramsey photographed at his Old Harrodsburg Road restaurant to recognize the 30th anniversary. All Photos by Ryan K. Morris 1. Bartender 2.
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Ramsey’s operates four Lexington-area diners, as well as a Ramsey’s Country Store at its Andover location.
“It’s very simply that when I opened up I had no money,” Ramsey said. “A lot of our décor is called eclectic—really what it is, is low budget.”
Another mainstay is the emphasis on using local and Kentucky-grown products whenever possible. Ramsey was a member and past chairman of the original committee that created the state Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud initiative.
He estimates 85 percent of vegetables served at his diners June through November are sourced from local farms, and each summer for the past 25 years, his diners have offered a “Corn Daze (and ’Maters Too!)” promotion that showcases a variety of fresh Kentucky-grown corn and tomato-based menu items.
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The first Ramsey’s Diner opened on East High Street in April 1989. The location has since closed.
In a business environment where new restaurants crop up every week and finding good help is increasingly competitive, Ramsey knows it’s rare to have had positive sales growth for three decades. He attributes his longevity to having well-trained staff and keeping the quality of food consistently high to create full, happy and repeat customers.
Looking back, Ramsey said that while he’s served a lot of food to a lot of guests, helping to positively impact his employees’ lives and watching them grow and succeed has been the most rewarding aspect.
“It’s really just another day in the restaurant business,” Ramsey said of the 30th anniversary milestone. “Although when you add them all together, it is a whole bunch of days!”
Ramsey’s 30th Anniversary Bash
Ramsey’s Diner will host a customer appreciation and 30th anniversary party on April 13 in the parking lot of its location at 4391 Old Harrodsburg Road. Customers can request tickets during a visit to any Ramsey’s location and enjoy a pig roast, hot dogs, burgers and a crawfish boil, along with complimentary children’s rides and T-shirts, sponsored by Pepsi, at the event.
Ryan K. Morris
Mariah Poindexter serves a slice of homemade pie to guests.