Waiting from a few minutes to an hour for The Breakfast Club is not an uncommon morning experience in Moscow, but most people would agree it’s food worth waiting for.
Owners Lori and Kevin Clary started the restaurant on Main Street 20 years ago. They both had separate restaurant backgrounds prior to opening their own business, and Moscow felt like the right place to execute their vision.
“Moscow can be a gathering spot for all kinds of people, and we can too,” Kevin said.
Griffin Rod started working at The Breakfast Club while in college as a busser. He said he found his way back to the restaurant later in life, spending the past 11 years as general manager and became an official owner this past year.
Having a background in restaurants and a family affinity for breakfast inspired him to come back to The Breakfast Club, Rod said.
The Breakfast Club is known for its busy atmosphere and long wait times. Rod said the focus on food and service consistency, from open to close, allows them to succeed during the busiest times of the day.
“There is a lot of great places to eat in Moscow — a really great food community — and I think, in turn, that pushes you to stay consistent, stay at the top of your game,” Rod said.
When their 20th anniversary rolled around, Lori said she announced the occasion on Facebook, and the amount of former employees who reached out was tremendous.
“We’ve kept in touch with a lot of employees over the years,” Lori said. “You don’t realize the kind of the impact you have until you start seeing post after post of people saying what an impact this restaurant, the environment, Griffin, we all had on each other’s lives.”
Rod said the ingredients for success at The Breakfast Club are a positive attitude, accountability and teamwork.
“We’re here to provide a service and make sure people have a great time. Part of that is getting to know your guests,” Rod said. “Then you walk around a town like Moscow when it’s not all that big, and you recognize outside people in the store or downtown and you realize what we have here.”
As a staple in the community, the restaurant has had to balance new changes while maintaining their well-known atmosphere, Kevin said. They try to alter only the edges of their restaurant, not the entire space.
“We’re a comfort restaurant, right? So, a part of breakfast is having all the staple comfort foods that you would expect from a diner, from the biscuits and gravy to the bacon and eggs,” Rod said. “Also using the creativity of our staff and from what guests suggest to come up with items that are unique, but still produce a comfort feeling when you sit down to eat.”
Since the restaurant opened, Lori said they have adapted their menu to meet various dietary restrictions, including gluten-free and vegetarian options.
“While change is always something great, we kind of adapt as needed to dietary trends and things that we find that are great and popular. Maintaining just the comfort feel of the menu is vital,” Rod said.
The staff is trained to make sure whether someone’s dietary restriction is an allergy or a preference, so the kitchen can best be prepared, Rod said.
Lori expressed her gratitude for the community, as they have always been supportive of them since they first opened the restaurant.
“We care every day. I think that people pick up on that quick,” she said.
Alex Brizee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @alex_brizee