A Red’s Diner dynasty

By Aldin Avdic

Cars zoom by, racing each other towards the city center of Calgary. People occupy the streets, darting around and entering different businesses in the Kensington community.  Some walked their dogs to nowhere, others wore suits trying to get to their job on time. 

If you take a moment to breathe and look around, you'll gaze upon a big red sign, Red's Diner. A local restaurant and staple in the community.

Red's Diner is a locally owned Diner chain in Calgary. Its first location opened in 1928 on 4th Street. Since then it has opened up an additional three stores, 58th, Ramsay and Kensington

Since moving to Kensington, Red's Diner has served the residents delightful meals. On behalf of Red’s management, Katelyn Campbell spoke about the restaurant’s importance to the community.

“A lot of the people we have hired have been local, our artwork is local.” Campbell praised the generosity of the community in supporting the diner. She was explicitly thankful to the staff that worked at the diner, as they brought in regulars through their interaction with them. The feeling of bonding has not gone unnoticed as Campbell feels that the diner has been able to reach out and build a friendship with the community.

Certainly, like with any restaurant, building a community isn’t just going to help you with attracting hungry passers. Food quality, services and portion size are going to be a question. So then, is it any good?

Well, the reviews don’t lie. With an average rating of 4.5 on Trip Advisor it’s safe to say the diner is up to snuff.

Many people want the most out of their money. That being considered, Is Red’s Diner affordable? Having eaten at the place with my friend Kaiden, we paid a total of $50. We both agree that the price is justified, as the portion size could only be described as monstrous.

The blueberry pancakes that I had were probably as big as my face, so big that I couldn’t even finish it all. I believe the pancake was about $16. The pancakes did not taste frozen or show any other signs pointing to being pre-made.

So Katelyn, what’s the secret to keeping the food fresh?

“Our biggest value is that we give good portion size, we make things fresh, we make things from scratch with our recipe.”

The place was buzzing with activity and livelihood. Laughter and noise could be heard the moment we walked in. I even had the chance to talk with a customer next to me about some American politics.

The servers were delightful and had radiant smiles. They made my friend and I feel welcome. We both felt as if we were at home, being served Grandma's hearty breakfast.

Covid was certainly a business killer. Many local chains, mom and pop shops were hit hard. Red’s Diner was certainly not excluded from the effects of the Lockdown. Katelyn felt that the community had a big impact on the survival of the business. “I think we’re pretty lucky that we’ve had a constant flow, we have a lot of regulars.”

Red’s Diner restaurant located in Kensington truly was a unique experience. The restaurant felt homely and welcoming to all. Red’s Diner is not focused on just making money, but rather on building relationships in the community.