Maple Leaf Diner Receives Texas Restaurant Association Award
Maple Leaf Diner was selected for the People Award recognizing restaurants that went ‘above and beyond’ for their employees during the pandemic during the Texas Restaurant Association’s first COVID-19 awards.
The popular eatery at 12817 Preston Road features traditional diner fare as well as Canadian favorites like poutine, Canadian Peameal Bacon, butter tarts, Nanaimo Bars, and Southern favorites like chicken, bacon, and waffles.
“Thank you to the Texas Restaurant Association for shining a ray of light with this award amidst this time of great difficulty for restaurant owners,” said Mike Delaurier, owner of Maple Leaf Diner. “It’s difficult to put into words how amazing it is to have such a dedicated staff that would nominate me for this award. Without my employees, I know I would not be successful and I’ve been blessed with THE best staff so I’m confident we’ll make it through this difficult time.”
The Service Award went to Marty B’s of Bartonville received the Service Award recognizing restauranteurs for offering a helping hand for their community, and EVO Cinemas, of Kyle, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and Austin, received the Innovator Award recognizing a restauranteur that is creative and found ways to pivot their business during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all one important lesson; with or without a crisis, restaurants step-up to help,” said Dr. Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association. “No matter the pain they were experiencing themselves, restaurants across Texas and the nation led the way in feeding first responders, caring for their teams, and serving as the light for their communities in need.
“As we reflected on our annual awards, we didn’t want to miss celebrating the leaders who went above and beyond. The individuals nominated for our three COVID-19 award categories innovated, put their teams first, and served their communities in a meaningful way. They were in the greatest fight of their professional lives and instead of retreating, they stepped up and delivered – in a big way.”
