Tommy Lancaster's; Family Restaurant in New Albany, Indiana

Tommy Lancaster's restaurant in New Albany has been around for more than half a century, and buffet tables are an important part of business at, because a lunch buffet is served Monday through Friday, and dinner buffets are served on Monday, Friday and Saturday. The lunch buffet offers three types of salad, five vegetables, three entrees and desserts. The lunch buffet includes a drink and is available from 11:00 a.m to 1:30 p.m. and costs $6.50 for adults, $5.95 for seniors. The dinner buffet has some dishes that vary but almost always offers roast beef, fried chicken, fried shrimp, crab legs and macaroni and cheese. On Monday nights, the buffet is open from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and costs $7.95 for adults, $6.95 for seniors. On Fridays and Saturdays, the buffet is open from 5 to 8 p.m. and costs $10.95 for adults, $9.95 for seniors. The cost for children 12 and under at all buffets is 50 cents per year of age.

Lancaster feels that the service and reasonable prices keep people coming back. They offer six specials daily from 11 a.m to 7:30 p.m. for $5.60, which include a meat entree, two vegetables and a roll with butter. In addition to the buffets and specials, Lancaster's regular menu items are available at all times. The menu includes soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, pizzas, steaks and sea foods. Their famous hot brown was voted best in Indiana three years in a row, and according to Lancaster, their recipes for fried chicken and macaroni-and-cheese have been complimented by customers for years.

Family owned and operated, the restaurant was opened by Tommy Lancaster in 1953. Mike and Connie Lancaster took over in 1975. Lancaster feels that they really offer a family atmosphere to both their employees and customers. Four of their employees recently left due to retirement; five others have been with the company for over 30 years, and five more have been with them for over 10. Lancaster believes that his employees add to the family atmosphere, and that this is one reason they have so much repeat business.

"We've been very fortunate and had a lot of good people," he said. "It makes a huge difference."

Lancaster said that the people are what makes him enjoy working in the restaurant industry, and he really enjoys mingling with the customers. He feels that he has made some wonderful friendships through the years. Many customers return year after year, and Lancaster said that, in some cases, he gets to watch children grow up and then come back with children of their own.

"There's one family that comes to mind: the Rainbolt family," he said. "We are feeding the fifth generation in that family. You feel like you're a little bit of a part of their family."