It has been in business seemingly forever, and has been owned by one family since the 1980’s. Keyport’s 24/7 Town and Country Inn has finally shut down and sold. This will always be known to me as, “The diner no one ate at.” No matter what time of day, there were never any cars in the parking lot. It could be time for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or passing by at 3 am and there were hardly ever more than two or three cars out front, which one could assume were the cook, server, and hostess. I have nothing bad to say about this place—I ate here with family a few times at a very young age and therefore do not remember anything about the food.

Since starting this food blog, I always wanted to give it a try. Even after doing paranormal investigating as a hobby, meaning there are many nights my friends and I are out and about into the early morning hours looking for food, everyone was always too scared to try this place. It seemed that the ghosts we encountered could not eclipse the Town and Country Inn in terms of challenges. A lack of cars, lack of knowing anyone who ever ate there (it was not until last fall that I finally discovered two friends who had eaten there recently), and a wondering of how fresh the food could be because of this kept me from ever giving it a try.

After doing some research online, it would seem that their banquet facilities kept them afloat. Oddly enough, this diner had a liquor license and boasted a full-service bar. This is odd for the area, as not many diners in Monmouth County sell alcohol. Not even this, or a lack of late-night eating availability could save them. They may have had a busy heyday when they first opened, but in the two decades I have been living here, it has been barren.

The business has been sold and one could imagine extensive renovations will be underway. The one thing I did admire about the Town and Country Inn was its “stuck in time” aura. The sign out front, though hardly ever working in its entirety, was a wonderful example of vintage 1960’s signage. I imagine the inside hardly ever changed either. We will be following the developments of the sale and look forward to seeing what restaurant moves into its place. Best of luck and happy retirement to the former owners.