Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Eddie Chamat offers service with a smile at Duffy’s.

For all its connectivity, our modern world can be awfully lonely. A stop by any trendy coffee shop can be low-key Orwellian, with nearly as many black screens as lattes. Duffy’s Restaurant in Broken Arrow provides a much-needed respite for the modern soul in a laid-back atmosphere where everyone is a neighbor or friend and the definition of a good meal includes “made from scratch with love.”

For many, the diner experience is about so much more than food. It’s the place where everyone knows each other. Like any diner worth its salt, Duffy’s offers the same made-from-scratch pancakes they’ve served for more than three decades, fresh battered chicken fried steak, and staples like home cooked roast beef and meatloaf. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true diner without all-day breakfast. But for many locals, the food is almost a formality.

The bright, welcoming dining space, equipped with requisite cozy booths and cheery walls, is a home-away-from-home for many.

Owner Eddie Chamat couldn’t love his job more. He smiled as he extolled the family atmosphere. “We are now serving our fourth generation of regulars,” he bragged.

It’s not uncommon to see guests laughing and joking with each other and staff on any day.

Over the 32 years of its existence, Duffy’s has come to be something of an anchor in Broken Arrow community life, with Eddie rarely passing up an opportunity to be involved. A gentle man with a kind demeanor, he shrugged humbly when waitress Scarlett Getzloff bragged about his community support, pointing out that he gives to several charities, even donating pancake batter when local organizations want to host a pancake breakfast fundraiser.

But the boss’ efforts at modesty were belied by his excitement when Thanksgiving was mentioned. Eddie’s eyes lit up as he spoke about his 30-year tradition providing Thanksgiving for anyone in the community in need of a meal.

“We fed about 1000 people this year,” he beamed. “It’s a tradition for many families. They stop by here with the kids, the entire family, and they volunteer for a while before heading off to do their own Thanksgiving dinner,” Eddie grinned.

Scarlett is just one of Eddie’s staffers who have been working the diner so long they’re practically family. Octogenarian cashier Christine Madewell and night chef Randy Wilson are part of the double digit team; even more impressively, Joanie Naumann and Scarlett are among the staff who have seen multiple generations of their families call Duffy’s home.

If you’re in need of a little recharge on soul-stirring food and vibes, take a pit stop by Duffy’s in Broken Arrow and instantly feel better about life.