Brittany D. McClure|The Valdosta Daily Times Betty’s Diner Owner Betty Daughtrey and her sister Debbie Deason.

There are a lot of restaurants in Valdosta you could eat at, but there’s only one restaurant you should eat at and that’s Betty’s Diner. What makes Betty’s Diner the best restaurant in town? Well, owner Betty Daughtrey of course.

At the still young age of 71, Betty has been working in restaurants just about all her life.

“I can remember standing in a chair and washing dishes when I was just about five-years-old,” said Daughtrey.

Daughtrey grew up in the business of restaurants. Her parents Willie and Evie Montgomery owned two restaurants in Sparks, Ga. — Big Oak Restaurant and City Cafe — where Daughtrey worked growing up.

When Daughtrey was 16, her parents sold their restaurants and moved the family to Adel where she went to work — in another restaurant!

“I love it,” said Daughtrey. “It’s something that just gets in my blood I suppose.”

Daughtrey worked at a handful of restaurants before finding her way to Bynum’s Diner in the 1980’s. At that time, it was impossible for her to know that she had truly made it home.

Jackie Bynum opened Bynum’s Diner in 1950. Home cooking away from home to many, customers and employees called Bynum “Mee-Maw”. After she grew ill, her son Eddie Bynum took over. In 2001, with over 50 years of experience in the restaurant business, Daughtrey purchased Bynum’s Diner.

Aside from changing the name to Betty’s Diner, Daughtrey kept everything else exactly the same.

“It’s tradition,” said Daughtrey. “People don’t want change because it won’t feel like coming home.”

That’s what Betty’s Diner is for so many people —home. According to Betty, the diner has just become a pivotal part of life for not only her, but her customers.

“I miss them when I’m gone,” said Daughtrey.

The only days off that Daughtrey has ever taken from the diner is one day when her husband Bob had a heart attack and ten days when he passed five years ago.

“Other than that, I’ve never missed a day,” said Daughtrey.

For Daughtrey, her diner is so much more than just a business. She calls her customers and her employees her family. She even claims that it was the diner that helped get her through the grief of losing her husband.

“The people here were just so loving and caring,” said Daughtrey. “They are just my family, I don’t know how else to describe them.”

According to Daughtrey’s sister Debbie Deason who works at the diner, they grow such close bonds with their customers, that they even call and check on them when they miss a day to eat. It is this aspect of Betty’s Diner that makes it stand out from other restaurants in town. You can go anywhere to eat, but at Betty’s, it’s not just about the food. Above all else, it’s about the people and the love Daughtrey shows to every person that walks through the diner door.

But not to be overlooked, Betty’s Diner will serve you some of the best home cooking that you have ever had. One time, Daughtrey had a businessman visiting from New York drive all the way from Atlanta to her diner just because he read on the Internet that she was the best diner.

“It was amazing,” said Daughtrey. “This was right before my husband passed and he just couldn’t get over it.”

The New Yorker from Atlanta ordered two meals, cleaned his plate and then ordered everything else on the menu, had it boxed up and took it all back to Atlanta with him.

Daughtrey also has regular customers from Orlando, FL. that drive up every two weeks to Valdosta to buy vegetables and eat at her diner.

“They always order everything on the menu,” said Daughtrey.

There’s something about the cooking at Betty’s Diner that just sticks with people. Maybe it’s the fact that they have some of the lowest prices in town, or maybe it’s because the menu changes every day, or maybe it’s because the food at Betty’s brings out the best in people.

For example, in December of 2011 just one week before Christmas, some people from Valdosta State University, some local bankers and a few kind people gave Daughtrey her restaurant sign. Another time, an anonymous person came and put the awning up around her restaurant.

“People have just blessed me,” said Daughtrey. “I have such great friends.”

For Daughtrey, running Betty’s Diner isn’t a job. She genuinely loves working and being around the staff and customers who have become her family. According to her, she’ll be waittressing at Betty’s Diner until the day she dies.

“When my toes turn up, then I’ll be through,” said Daughtrey.

Betty’s Diner is located at 2175 North Ashley Street. Monday through Saturday they serve breakfast from 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. and then re-open for lunch at 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.