The girls of Akron

By NAN BROWN
As published March 19, 2008

It seems like it is a growing trend in America these days to eat out, and Jack and I do our share of it. We have tried so many restaurants in this area since we moved here permanently in 2004 that we’ve lost count. If you add to that the places we tried during our regular visits here during the 23 years preceding 2004, it would probably boggle the mind.

Lancaster County is a tourist attraction and I know many people who live in Mt. Airy come here regularly. So a lot of you might be familiar with eating establishments such as Shady Maple, Bird-In-Hand Family Restaurant, Good & Plenty, Plain & Fancy, and Miller’s Smorgasboard, just to name a few. They are some of the “touristy” places as Jack and I refer to them and are to be avoided at all costs during the height of the tourist season, as we well know.

Since the two of us are now “locals,” we have discovered many of the more obscure restaurants off the well worn, beaten path frequented by tourists.

Our favorite of these is Akron Restaurant. The Akron has an extensive menu of good food, with large portions and reasonable prices. Whenever Jack and I have dinner there, we always come away with a “doggie bag” sufficient for another meal. We have breakfast there on Sundays and have had lunch there from time to time as well. We have never been disappointed with the food or the service.

We’ve come to know many of the “Girls of Akron,” as we refer to the waitresses (or servers if we’re being politically correct), as family. Two of the servers, Tara and Kayla, who are sisters, greet us with “Hi family” when we walk in the door. Tara started that a while back when she said we reminded her of “Mom and Dad.”

We refer to Tara as “little Tara” to distinguish her from the other Tara who works there whom we have nicknamed “tall Tara” due to her taller stature. She is another of a set of sisters working there comprised of her and Amber.

Then there’s Carrie and Courtney. I used to confuse one with the other, but not any more now that Carrie is pregnant. Melissa, the hostess, and Debbie, another server, complete the dining room staff.

All of these girls are great at their job. Many years ago I did a brief stint as a waitress at Maria’s Restaurant on Main Street in Mt. Airy (many of you probably remember Maria’s), and it was the most physically demanding job I’d ever had as previously I spent 23 years behind a desk as a legal secretary. I’ll never forget my disappointment when the very first customers I waited on left me no tip. I didn’t think the service had been that bad.

Most waitresses earn a miniscule hourly wage and have to rely on tips to make any money. Unfortunately, many customers are cheapskates when it comes to tipping. The more generous tippers hopefully help to make up the difference.

The girls of Akron are friendly, courteous and efficient, but even more than that, they’re a lot of fun. Jack prides himself on following in his dear father’s footsteps as far as being a playful smart alleck goes. So as we got to know the girls better, Jack started teasing them more and setting himself up for their retaliation, and boy do they know how to retaliate.

All the girls are really quick on the uptake. They’ve gotten to the point where they tease him by acknowledging my presence, but ignoring his. I think they know this gets to him, and despite his best attempts at well-aimed teasing, they give as good as they get, and most of the time even better.

I think it’s safe to say that Jack has met his match in these ladies, and I love it. It really is quite comical to watch. I usually end up having several good laughs while at The Akron.

I refer to these women as “girls”, but they’re really a hard-working bunch of young women. Some of them have children and many of them attend college part-time while working. Amber is an aspiring singer, performs with a band, and auditioned last fall for American Idol. She didn’t make it, but we sure hope she gives it another try later this year.

Kayla, 19, is the youngest of the group and in addition to going to college and working at the restaurant, she also has a job at a local hospital.

They are all special and each are distinctly unique individuals. The girls of Akron make our dining experiences absolutely delightful, and we are honored to be considered a part of their “family.”