No Frickin Chicken V 1.0: Reflecting on Our First Six Months
When we opened the doors to the No Frickin Chicken Diner back in February 2024, we were brimming with excitement and optimism. We had spent months preparing and pouring our hearts and souls into creating a space that would bring people together over mouth-watering plant-based food. What an incredible journey it’s been so far!
From the moment we flipped the sign to “open,” we’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of the loveliest people and our amazing customers have become like family to us. We've celebrated birthdays, shared Valentine’s Day treats and indulged in Easter delights. Each month we've proudly supported different sanctuaries with our Sanctuary Specials, meaning that we can donate to those who need it most. Our Sunday Roasts and No Fishy Fridays have been a massive hit! We’ve had sellout days that warm our hearts as well as Quiz Nights which have brought the community together for laughter and friendly competition. It’s been a whirlwind of joy and connection.
But, as with any new venture, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. We’ve made our fair share of mistakes along the way. We’ve learned the hard way about the importance of hiring trustworthy staff - people who share our passion and dedication. We’ve experimented with opening times, sometimes missing the mark. Not every event has been a home run - some just didn’t resonate the way we hoped they would.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that running a diner and going through a festival season simultaneously is no small feat. It’s been exhausting, and during June and July, the strain showed. We barely made enough in the diner to keep the lights on. That was a wake-up call for us… a reminder that we need to ensure that what we’re doing is sustainable, not just for us but for you, our incredible community.
That’s why we’ve made the tough decision to close the diner for September. We need a break, yes, but more importantly, we need to reassess and recalibrate. August was a breath of fresh air, with the diner buzzing once again, but we know we can’t just rely on a few good months. We need to make sure we’re consistently putting on events and creating an experience that keeps you coming back, week after week.
We don’t want to close the diner - not now, not ever. We want every month to be like August… full of friendly faces, laughter, and the joy of shared meals. We want to be the place you think of when you’re craving frickin good food and good company.
So, as we take this break, we’re not just resting. We’re learning. We’re growing. We’re making sure that when we reopen on October 3rd, No Frickin Chicken Version 2.0 is even better than Version 1.0. We’re so grateful for everything we’ve learned in these first six months and we’re excited to take those lessons and come back stronger, with more of what you love.
We want to say thank you to our fantastic staff members, you know who you are. Without you, getting through festival season would have broken Hana and Paddy. We also want to say thank you to our friends and family that have supported us and helped out whenever we needed them. We are blessed to have you!
To everyone, thank you for being with us on this journey. We can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds and we hope you’ll be there with us, every step of the way.
With love and gratitude,
Paddy & Hana (and Tavish 🐶)
