With the reopening of Spencer’s Grill under the ownership of Meredith Shadwick, KHS alumna, and Micheal Shadwick, KHS students and staff are responding differently to the various changes made. While some welcome the new food and atmosphere, others mark the aspects of former quirks they once enjoyed at the diner.

Felix Dickinson, junior, said he noticed a stark contrast between the menu before and after the reopening. As a former frequent patron of the establishment, Dickinson said he saw gaps in where old menu items used to be after he went back. 

“The food menu is very limited now and there isn’t a lot of overlap in the meals from before,” Dickinson said. “They had a larger menu [before] including lunch food [but] now it’s only breakfast food, and some of the items weren’t available yet.”

Dickinson said aside from the lunch menu, he misses the people he used to see. Dickinson said he had many memories of the staff who worked at the diner while he was a child.

“I went there a lot so I always knew who was going to be working, but now the staff is new,” Dickinson said. “Unless they bring back the lunch menu, I probably won’t go [back].”

Ava Turek, sophomore, has not been to Spencer’s since the reopening but enjoyed her experience at the diner 6 years ago. She says she is looking forward to going back and seeing how it’s improved.

“I really liked the food because the waffles were next-level, but pancakes weren’t my favorite,” Turek said. “I thought the service was always good and [the staff] was always kind.”

Arrow Hayes, sophomore, said they feel optimistic about the reopening in terms of the menu and environment. They said they’re excited to revisit the diner for the interior and classic breakfast. 

“I love how they have the little bar with stools and the old backroom. Everything is really comfortable,” Hayes said. “They [also] have excellent French toast, and breakfast is breakfast, so it’s pretty hard to mess up.”