Thursday, February 18th Delayed Open at (hopefully) 11:00am due to freezing rain & ice.
Open for DINE IN (with mask), or TAKEOUT. Hours: Sun/Mon 7:30am-2:30pm, Tues-Sat 7:30am-8:30pm
776 9th StreetWe’re all aware of the COVID-19 concerns we’re facing as a community, and we want you to know the precautions we’re taking to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.
Restaurants are already very closely monitored for health and cleanliness by the Durham Department of Health, and we are working closely with them to stay up to date with any new developments and/or procedures we need to implement. Just like the rest of Durham, we are wearing masks and gloves, and will be making every effort to stay at least six feet away from customers and from each other. CUSTOMERS visiting Elmo’s for Dine-in ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS. Of course you get to take it off to eat at your table, but while moving through the restaurant including visiting the restrooms, you need to have your mask on. We would appreciate it greatly if you would wear your mask at all times when a staff member might be at your table (like taking your order, delivering your beverage or food). These are the times when we have to come closer than 6 feet). We have spread out our tables and are operating at 50% capacity, but there are still spots and times where you could end up less that 6 feet from another customer or staff member. REMEMBER: Masks are worn to prevent spread of Covid to other people, so when you don’t wear a mask, you may unknowingly put staff members at risk.
We have deep cleaned the dining room and the kitchen, and are following strict cleaning and sanitizing procedures throughout preparation and service–for example, we will sanitize anything a customer touches, like a pen or credit card machine, before another customer touches it.
We have never allowed employees to work if sick, but we are especially vigilant about this now. We will be checking employee wellness at the beginning of each day, including taking their temperatures and checking for visual signs of illness. No one will be permitted to work sick.
We are currently offering Dine-in and Carside service. You are also welcome to just place a regular to-go order and come inside to pick it up. The difference between Carside and To-go being just whether we bring it out to your car or not. Please be respectful of the Carside only spaces marked in our parking lot beyond the handicap ramp. We need to reserve those for Carside so our staff isn’t crossing the lot looking for cars–which both slows us down and puts them at greater risk.
We still need to limit our menu to our most popular items in order to keep inventory low and products fresh at our reduced volume. Our modified menu is available online here and you can expect it to change and be updated as customer volume and inventory supply improves. Let us know if you’re really missing something that we’re not currently making ! We will also be paying attention to what folks are ordering–keep coming by to order your favorites so they stick around!
New expanded hours beginning Aug 3 are: Mon 7:30am-2:30pm, Tues-Sat 7:30am-8:30pm and Sun 7:30am-2:30pm. Our most up-to-date hours are generally posted to our Facebook page first, but we will also try to keep things updated here.
We are excited about the opportunity to serve you some of your favorite comfort foods again! Thank you for all your continued support, words of encouragement and patience as we made adjustments to help serve you more safely.
Elmo’s Diner has been a local Durham favorite for more than twenty years, with the vast majority of our business being repeat customers. You are our friends and our neighbors, and we want you to feel good about eating at Elmo’s. We pride ourselves on giving friendly, efficient service and on serving fresh, delicious food – like you would make at home if you had the time! We don’t use mixes or “instant” meals. Desserts and soups are made from scratch too–some folks even call on a regular basis to find out if their favorite cobbler is the special that day!
Like a true family diner, we have comfy booths, but also tables and lots of boosters and high chairs for your little ones. We have raised a lot of our young regular customers (and even some employees) from scratch too! When your family comes to town, we want you to be excited to bring them to YOUR local diner. You don’t have to be “a regular” to eat at Elmo’s, but we will try hard to make you one!
However, you are welcome to give us a “heads up” that you are bringing a large party (like 8 or more). This is not a reservation or call-ahead seating, but does sometimes help us to strategize seating and more effectively serve you. If you have a super-large group, it is best to ask to speak with a manager.
We sell Elmo’s gift certificates valid in Elmo’s Diner-Durham in any amount. For local customers, we ask that you come in to buy a certificate. For out-of-town purchases, we can help you purchase one with Visa or MC over the phone. Just call (919) 416-3823, preferably not during a main meal period, and ask to speak with a Manager.
You Gotta Admire Our Consistency!
We’re a community restaurant both in the sense that we are a local favorite and in the sense that we strive to be good neighbors and give back to our community. With this in mind, on the First Tuesday of each month we do a fundraiser for a Durham Public School PTA. On each First Tuesday, ten percent of our sales from that day goes to a specific goal of a selected PTA. We feel this is a great way to help a broad cross-section of the community that supports us. All customers are encouraged to come out on these Tuesdays and help support our schools. Please see our list of upcoming dates.
If you are volunteering for a local DPS PTA and are interested in applying for a First Tuesday date, please know that applications usually go out in April** for the following school year. You can use the CONTACT link on this website to let us know of your interest. Please also note that due to intense interest our 10% fundraisers are limited to Durham Public schools.
**We will be reaching out to First Tuesday schools in early May, but due to current circumstances there will need to be a delay in setting actual dates for the next school year.
Elmo’s Diner-Durham opened in the spring of 1997, in the Ninth Street shopping district of Old West Durham. Large windows, wooden floors, high ceilings and old red brick grace the Durham location, and give a warm and casual feel. The restaurant also is located in an old building with lots of history, having been a former taxi cab garage, beauty college and bakery at various times.
The Ninth Street shopping district is known for its diverse and unique locally owned businesses. It’s also conveniently located near many wonderful Durham sites, including Duke University, with its beautiful chapel, the excellent Nasher Museum of Art, and the Sarah B. Duke gardens; the Museum of Life and Science (a great trip for kids!); and downtown Durham, where you’ll find the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the new Durham Performing Arts Center. Every July, Durham hosts the American Dance Festival which provides yet another wonderful venue to visit either before or after a trip to Elmo’s Diner-Durham!