Klopcic Family Wins National Recognition As
"America's Best Restaurant Family" presented by Jones Dairy Farm

In a ceremony held in New York City on Monday, July 10, 2006, Philip Jones, president of Jones Dairy Farm (not pictured) and Marc Silverstein (far right), co-host of the Food Network’s “The Best Of” (far right), presented Jane, Rick and Kyle Klopcic of The Fireside Dinner Theatre with a plaque honoring the Klopcic family as the first grand prize winner in their prestigious America’s Best Restaurant Families award program. Judges for this award included faculty from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and the Jones Family.

“Family owned restaurants often hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans because of the unique attributes and time-honored traditions that help make customers feel at home and part of the family. As a successful six-generation, 117-year old family business, Jones Dairy Farm felt that honoring the best of the more than 250,000 family owned restaurants in the United States was long overdue,” said Philip Jones. “The Klopcic Family, based right here in our own backyard, was a well-deserved recipient of this honor.”

“To be selected for this award is truly the greatest honor we have ever received,” responded Rick Klopcic. “Over the last 43 years we’ve been featured by prestigious publications such as Midwest Living and AAA and honored by the American Bus Association as one of the top 100 destinations in the United States. Yet none of these compare to having our family business recognized among America’s Best Restaurant Families. This recognizes not only the hard work of our family, but how the Lord has blessed us with fantastic associates that have made The Fireside a success.”

The Jones Dairy Farm “America’s Best Restaurant Families” award was eligible to any family who owns and operates a commercial restaurant or non-commercial food service operation in the U.S. The company received hundreds of nominations from across the country over a three month period.