Zack’s Family Restaurant Set to Reopen in Dothan After Two-Year Hiatus Following Fire
Beloved Alabama eatery, Zack’s Family Restaurant, is preparing to reopen its doors on November 11, 2024, after being closed for more than two years due to a fire that devastated the original location.
Known for its country-fried steak, pear cobbler, and classic Southern hospitality, Zack’s was named Alabama’s Best Meat-and-Three by AL.com in 2017.
The new restaurant, located in the same spot on Headland Avenue in Dothan, boasts a 144-seat dining area inside a brick-red metal building.
Owners Zack and Dianne Whaley are eager to welcome back their loyal customers, many of whom have been anticipating the restaurant’s return. “People are coming up now, wanting to eat lunch,” Dianne shared.
Most of Zack’s original kitchen crew is returning, and the Whaleys’ nephew, Benjamin Henderson, will take on the role of general manager, allowing Zack and Dianne to reduce their workload.
“We’re not gonna work 60 and 70 hours a week,” Dianne said, noting that Benjamin will handle much of the day-to-day operations.
Zack’s will operate for lunch only, Sunday through Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring a rotating selection of six meats—fried chicken, baked chicken, country-fried steak, pork chops, catfish, roast beef, and meatloaf—and about a dozen vegetables like collard greens, creamed corn, and fried green tomatoes, many of which are based on old family recipes.
“We do real Southern food,” Dianne explained, crediting their success to recipes handed down from family and friends.
Originally opened in Cottonwood in 1995, Zack’s gained a large following across Alabama and beyond, drawing Sunday lunch crowds in the thousands.
The Whaleys faced setbacks after a fire in 2022, caused by spontaneously combusting kitchen towels, but they are optimistic about the future. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” Dianne said, eager to bring their celebrated Southern cooking back to the community.
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