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VALDOSTA — What began as a natural outgrowth of the family produce business has become an essential Valdosta tradition.

At lunchtime, seven days a week, a continuous stream of cars, trucks, work vehicles, etc. pours in and out of the O’Neals Country Buffet parking lot on North Ashley Street.

The buffet, open for lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, is well known for the fresh vegetables offered, and customers return again and again for the famous fried chicken, chicken divan, peach cobbler, fried okra and more.

The restaurant recently underwent extensive renovations, including new carpet and paint, a full kitchen remodel, all new plumbing and air conditioning and improvements to the parking lot.

A true family business, customers can find members of the O’Neal family there every day.

Patriarch Glenn O’Neal, “Big O,” supervises every aspect of the day to day operations from his perch by the cash register every day. At 84, he is no closer to retirement than he was when he retired from the City of Valdosta as a firefighter after 43 years.

When asked why he still comes to work every day, Mr. O’Neal replies, “What would you rather I do?” Several of his sons joked that “he has to come to work because Mama doesn’t want him home.”

Seeing how beloved he is by his employees and family, Mr. O’Neal said customers will call his house if he’s not at work, “so I might as well be here!”

Mr. O’Neal, a standout Valdosta Wildcat who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, went into the Navy at 17, serving in World War II. Once out, he came home and met his bride of 62 years, June, at a football game. June was a Miss Valdosta in the 1940s and is still “Mama” to her five sons and two daughters, in addition to scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Son Danny and daughter Glenda help their dad oversee the restaurant on a daily basis, with lots of help from the rest of the family.

According to Glenda, the restaurant has been a landmark in Valdosta for more than 40 years. It was once a Western Sizzlin’ and “the biggest thing in town for years,” as it was Valdosta’s first steakhouse, says son Pat O’Neal. The restaurant has been O’Neals Country Buffet now for about the past decade.

With the renovation, the food will stay the same, “always fresh,” and the restaurant will be open for catered private evening events, too, including parties and receptions.

According to Pat, the buffet features the “same cooks, the same great food, the same great service and the same great atmosphere.” He said the fresh vine ripe tomatoes, cane syrup and honey will still be available at the cash register as always.

“Valdosta is very lucky to have the number of eating establishments it does. It’s a great environment when you can go into so many places and they know you by name,” says Pat.

Mr. O’Neal, in addition to being a firefighter, was a farmer and many other things, holding down two or three jobs at a time to support his big brood. He owned the Okra King produce market in town for years, and it was a natural outgrowth of that business to enter the restaurant business. The O’Neal children remain close to their family, and all have worked together to keep the various family businesses going through the years, from a very early age.

Gathered together to discuss the renovations and reopening of O’Neals Country Buffet, the children still show a healthy respect for their parents. And Mr. O’Neal is still very much in charge.

Looking around the restaurant Thursday, with all the work left to do, he asks if they’re going to be ready to open on Friday, to which son Danny replies, “Lord willing.”

Mr. O’Neal shoots back, “He’s willing. Are you?”

The restaurant opened on time, and if you go into O’Neals this week, you’ll find Mr. O’Neal at the register. Chances are he’ll greet you with, “I’ve got a good dinner for you today.”