MOUNT OLIVE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — The Budd Lake Diner abruptly closed its doors Tuesday after decades of serving customers along Route 46 in Mount Olive Township.
The diner, located at 120 Route 46 West in the Budd Lake section of the township, announced the closure in a Facebook post Tuesday night.
“We are deeply saddened to abruptly close our doors today. We enjoyed all of our customers for the last 4 & 1/2 years! We appreciate everyone who cared and loved us and our staff.” the diner said in the post.
No reason for the closure was provided.
The current owners had operated the diner for about 4 1/2 years after taking over the longtime business in 2022.
The Balaskonis and Jelis families announced their retirement in May 2022 after operating the Budd Lake Diner for 35 years. At the time, the families said they were leaving the diner in the hands of experienced new owners.
The diner’s history stretches back even further. A 2018 profile of the business said the Balaskonis and Jelis families purchased the Budd Lake Diner in 1986 from a previous owner who had built it about 4 1/2 years earlier.
The diner served breakfast, lunch and dinner from its Route 46 location, including breakfast throughout the day.
The diner’s Tuesday night announcement did not provide additional information about the closure or what could happen next with the Route 46 location.
