EXETER TWP., Pa. – For 20 years, the Breakfast Hut in Exeter Township has been serving up breakfast and building a loyal customer base.
Now, as the restaurant celebrates its 20th anniversary, it is also entering a new chapter.
Pablo Zavala has spent the last 10 years working at the Breakfast Hut. At 23, he is taking on a new role as co-owner while continuing to work as a line cook.
“The legacy that Ahmed and Tammy built has been astounding. It’s not just work, it’s a family,” Zavala said.
After two decades of running the restaurant, former owners Ahmed and Tammy Hassan are retiring. They are passing ownership to three people who have been part of the Breakfast Hut family for years.
One of the new owners is Tammy Hassan’s sister, Shelly Rhodes.
“We have a really great crew that we work with. I love the people I work with, and I love the customers. So that makes my job really fun,” Rhodes said.
Zavala said becoming an owner is a big responsibility, especially at a young age.
“Big risk that they’re taking, but they believe in me and I think that that’s amazing,” he said.
For Rhodes and Zavala, one thing is especially important as the restaurant changes hands: preserving its connection with the community.
“90% of our customers are repeats that come almost all the time. So, our customers are our family, and we love them. We love our customers,” Rhodes said.
For Zavala, the goal is simple: keep cooking and remain part of the Breakfast Hut’s story.
“Hopefully I get to be part of the next 20 years,” he said.
Twenty years of cooking up breakfast, and for the Breakfast Hut’s newest co-owners, there are no plans to stop.