A ‘50s diner on wheels

Diners are a popular dining option for families throughout America. More than 500 diners span across New York State.

The Schlie family also owns a diner, but with a twist. Monica Schlie, her husband, and her mother own their own ‘50s diner-themed food truck called Dashboard Diner. They recently held their grand opening at their permanent location in Patchogue earlier this month.

One of the owners, Monica Schlie, always loved diners and the overall ‘50s-diner style, reflected in their truck design and menu. Their extensive 32-item menu is the largest food truck menu in Suffolk County.

According to Schlie, their burgers are a popular choice. They never use processed burger patties. They hand-press straight chopped meat with no fillers. Another favorite is their chicken bacon ranch, which can be added to French fries or the signature five-cheese mac and cheese.

The Schlie family is no stranger to the food truck industry. They owned a hot dog truck located off the expressway in Medford. They were able to upgrade quickly to the truck that would be known as the Dashboard Diner.

Not long after, the Schlie family left their spot in Medford and only attended private parties, corporate events, school events, and fundraisers.

Despite owning a food truck, a diner food truck was not their initial plan. They looked into opening a diner, but decided to forgo that idea.

“We didn’t really want the brick-and-mortar, you know, being tied to one place forever,” Monica explained.

After much looking around, the Schlies chose Patchogue as their permanent spot. They are residents of the Patchogue community and decided they wanted to stay in the area.

“It’s our area; we wanted to serve our own area,” she said.

Since moving to that location, business has been slow due to the cold weather. However, Monica shared that they have received raved reviews from people who have stopped by. Local business owners also thank them for staying open even during the cold.

Dashboard Diner is located at 482 Medford Avenue next to NPV Crossfit. For updates, check out @dashboarddiner on Instagram or DB Diner on Facebook.