The area’s first Silver Diner opened in 1989 at 11806 Rockville Pike. It closed last Monday, November 1. But the next day, a shiny new Silver Diner opened right up the pike, at 12276. Its arrival made quite a splash, to put it mildly. Vice President of Culinary Operations and co-founder Ype Von Hengst reports record sales of close to $140,000 the first week the Rockville restaurant was open. “The most sales for any diner that we opened up in 20 years,” says Von Hengst, adding that the new digs have only six more seats (250) than the old facility.
As for the future of that location, Von Hengst said the company has been approached by a couple of parties who want to buy the building. “It was the only diner we built in five or six pieces,” he says. “It came in like an erector set.” Chances are it will be dismantled like one, too.
