For eight years, Jerry and Toni Culbert of Maynard have been coming to Bickford's in Acton on Sundays. Their waitress, Debbie McGeeney of Ashburnham, always knows what they want: oatmeal and poached eggs and toast.
"We consider Debbie family," Jerry Culbert, an engineering manager, said recently.
"And the receptionists always are aware that we want a table in Debbie's section," added his wife, an executive assistant for a venture capital company.
McGeeney said she has come to know a lot of families during her 21 years as a waitress. "I've been here almost as long as the restaurant has been open."
Breakfast and lunch places are a dime a dozen, but for folks of all backgrounds and ages, this restaurant is a popular meeting spot, particularly on weekends. Located off Route 2A near the Littleton line, the restaurant opened in September 1980 and is one of 23 owned by Brighton-based Bickford's Family Restaurants Inc. All are in New England. Other outlets are in Burlington, Woburn, and Nashua and Salem, N.H.
The Bickford's chain has been in a consolidation mode for some time, trying to ensure that its restaurants are meeting customer demands, regional manager Linda Milley said, noting that there were once 62 outlets, the first dating from the 1920s.
"Our Acton restaurant, like some others, sees a lot of repeat customers - from high school students to seniors," said Milley. Because the Acton restaurant's bread-and-butter business has always been breakfast and lunch, its hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week. The evening hours were eliminated the first of this year, said Milley, whose husband, Alexander, is president of the chain.
Competition in the Nagog Park complex, from Crossroads and ScupperJack's restaurants and others also was a factor in cutting back hours in Acton, acknowledged David Michaud, general manager of the restaurant.
"But we're still seeing our weekend regulars, and some of them are also here frequently during the week," said Michaud, a Nashua resident who supervises a waitstaff of two on weekdays, six on weekends. Many of them, like McGeeney, have been with Bickford's for more than 10 years, he said.
"Every time we come, which is every other Sunday, we see a lot of the people we know, which makes for an enjoyable time," said Joan Meyer, owner of Acton Real Estate Co., who was accompanied by her husband, Roger, last Sunday.
"This could be a 'Cheers' set," said her husband, referring to the television series that was a hit for many years.
Meyer said she has also held some of her firm's sales meetings at Bickford's.
Young people also frequent Bickford's and order all over the menu.
Last Sunday, a group of 12 teenage band members settled in at a table near the door after an all-night gig in Acton. "This is a good place to hang out with friends," said Justin Grankewicz, 16, of Marshfield, speaking for the group, which also included members from Littleton, Boxborough, and Sudbury. "We come here every couple of months," he said.
Many customers, Michaud noted, like to dig into house specialties such as the Big Apple ($7.30) and Baby Apple ($7), both made from a pancake-like batter filled with eggs and cream; eggs benedict ($7.80), turkey club sandwich ($9), and an 8-ounce Angus burger ($7.50).
But some frequent customers like Angela Bertolino of Littleton have simple tastes and come to socialize.
"My daughters-in-law and grandchildren often accompany me," said Bertolino, a retired medical technologist who has been a weekly regular for 4 1/2 years.
"Everybody knows what I want: dry toast with peanut butter and jelly."
DAVIS BUSHNELL
