Customer favourites include the Classic Breakfast, milkshakes, pressure-fried chicken, and of course, their famous burgers and fries.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Athanasiadis emphasizes that their classic recipes are\u00a0just that — classics that have not changed since the day the restaurant opened in 1965. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to fix anything; it\u2019s always good, so we\u2019ll keep it the same,\u201d he says with pride.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you want to grow the business. You want to make more sales. But at the end of the day,\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0got to stay true to what Red Top has been all these years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A family tradition\u00a0
\nLois has been coming to Red Top for over 23 years. She used to visit often with her husband, and now continues the tradition with her son, Todd, by her side. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
Delicious food, a wholesome environment, and longtime staff are just a few of the features that have guests returning\u00a0meal after meal\u00a0and year after year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were\u00a0coming here with their family when they were\u00a0kids. Now\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0adults, and\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0coming with their kids.\u00a0It means a lot to them, and it means a lot to us to have them\u00a0here.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond the\u00a0mealtime\u00a0tradition passed down through the generations, Athanasiadis shares that other stories from his regulars include\u00a0his restaurant\u00a0being where they had their first date, students coming in for a snack during breaks at nearby schools, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and even attending live concerts in the parking lot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the place to be at the time, and people are still talking about it,\u201d Athanasiadis says fondly. \u201cIt meant a lot to them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Athanasiadis\u00a0says that his biggest pride is that the establishment has not changed much since 1960.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still have\u00a0the same food; the same comfort food, the same good food,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd\u00a0we’re\u00a0happy to see generations come through.\u00a0It’s\u00a0very important\u00a0to us.\u00a0When I hear\u00a0people say they\u00a0used to come here with\u00a0their\u00a0dad or\u00a0their\u00a0mom or\u00a0their\u00a0grandparents, and they\u00a0still continue\u00a0to come now with their family\u2026\u00a0that’s\u00a0amazing.\u00a0I’m\u00a0very proud\u00a0of that. And I want to continue. I want to make their family proud of that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Looking ahead\u00a0
\nRed Top’s iconic sign welcome’s diners on St. Mary’s Road in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n
While the staff always hope\u00a0and appreciate full tables and\u00a0grills,\u00a0plans and goals for the future\u00a0do not include much change.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI do want to get busier, obviously. Improve some areas. But mostly, I want to stay true to what Red Top is. I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want to change things. Maybe just fix a few things, but\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Athanasiadis\u00a0thanks his loyal customers for their support over the last few years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI took over in 2019. Of course, COVID came [in] 2020,\u201d he recalls. \u201cIt was\u00a0very hard\u00a0for a lot of businesses; a lot of businesses\u00a0closed down.\u00a0So\u00a0I want to thank everybody that supported us- they came,\u00a0and they told us that they want us to be here for another 65 years at least. So that was huge for me.\u00a0From the bottom of my heart \u2026 thank you very much.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n