A Family Serves up a ‘Royal’ of a Meal

By Cathy Miller

A chance stop at the Royal Diner in Washington and a welcoming greeting from the waitress, Haley Young, pictured above, inspired this week’s Persons of the Week.

When she was five years old, Haley, who hails from Washington, wanted to be a nurse. She said, “I love helping people, and still want to be a nurse.” She’s getting closer to reaching her goal. Having graduated from Warren Hills High School in 2021, she plans to enroll in the nursing program at Warren County Community College.

Although Haley’s been a waitress at the Royal Diner for only three years, working full time for the past 12 months, she’s spent her entire life at the Royal Diner! A couple, finishing their meals in a nearby booth, chimed in saying, “We knew you before you were even born!” Haley’s mother Toni, who still works as a waitress at the Diner, was waitressing there while she was pregnant.

Haley literally grew up in the Diner, so the regulars know her well. She laughed, saying, “They’re all my besties!” She has an “unconditional love” for the Diner. Known as everyone’s “big sister,” Haley said, “I’ll do what I can to make people feel better and be happy.”

Haley’s father, Juan Olivera, is the chef at the Royal Diner, having served up the Diner’s extensive menu for 25 years. He loves what he does, and only cringes when a customer orders a chef salad. What makes the chef salad such a bear? He explained, “Even if we’re very busy in the kitchen, I have to stop what I’m doing to chop and prepare all the ingredients. It takes a lot of time.”

A frequent customer, Tristan Gilbey, from Oxford, has been patronizing the Diner for 12 years. As closing time approached, he was enjoying his favorite meal, a hamburger and French fries, claiming the Royal Diner makes the best fries!

Tristan, too, wanted to be a teacher when he was young, preferring to work with kindergarten through fifth grade. He’s been employed in the workshop at Abilities of Northwest Jersey since 2017.

The Royal Diner, with all the ambiance of a vintage diner, is over 50 years old. Originally established as Hill’s Diner in the late 1930s, the current diner replaced the former dining car in the early 1950s. Once the addition in the back was completed, its name was changed to the Royal Diner.

The Royal Diner is located at 150 Highway 31 South in Washington.