Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives Indiana Restaurants Closed

Guy Fieri has been filming episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives since 2007. The Food Network show is now in its 36th season. That is a lot of restaurants featured, a lot of plates sampled, and a lot of pressure on chefs.

Guy was here! Photo by Liberty

Some call it the curse of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Several restaurants close after they are featured on The Food Network, but each situation is different.

TAYLOR MERRISS

With Guy Power Comes Great Responsibility

The Triple D effect brings huge crowds to restaurants that are featured on Guy Fieri's show on The Food Network. Guy encourages restaurant owners to be prepared for the out-of-bounds increase in sales. Guy takes his job seriously, "It's a huge responsibility. One owner told me it changed the economic profile of his family."

Bauer's 66 1/2 Skillet & Grill Featured in 2017 is still going strong.

Indiana Has Been Featured 9 Times on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

Okay, only nine restaurants have made the Triple D playlist? Something is wrong with that. We actually have a list of local spots that we think should be featured from Southern Indiana, since these are all from the Northern part of the state.

Zest! Exciting Food Creations - Indianapolis

Zest! Exciting Food Creations was featured in season 12 of Triple D, episode 'Bar Food and Bon Bons'. That episode aired in 2011. In a 2015 interview with the Indy Star, owner Valerie Vanderpool said they stayed very busy on the weekends, but through the week, sales were down.

"It's just hard to survive on two days a week." - Valerie Vanderpool on Zest! closing

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Jersey's Cafe - Carmel

Jersey's Cafe was located in Carmel, IN, and featured in season 11 of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Jersey's lunch business was affected by road construction. It's really a sad story, according to a 2015 Carmel-area publication CURRENT, the owners were looking into a new location because the U.S. 31 construction was costing them thousands of dollars. When their landlord found out, he cut their lease short before the new location was secured.

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The Barking Dog Cafe - Indianapolis

This dog-friendly cafe was also known for its amazing tomato jam. 'Signature twists' is the episode to see what The Barking Dog had to offer. This is another heartbreaking story of a landlord disagreement. Owners Jeff and Mary Beth Gahimer told IBJ.com that after nine years of giving doggies a free plate, they would not be renewing their lease. They were going to be required to sign a long-term agreement, and that wasn't something they wanted.

The first photo is from August 2015, and the next one is from September 2016.

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Guy Fieri's Original Audition Tape from 2005 | Food Network

The Food Network - Behind The Scenes of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

Feast Your Eyes: 20 Tri-State Restaurants Diners Drive-Ins and Dives Should Feature

My pallet is very 'Kid menu' friendly, but I'll sit and watch Triple D all day. Now, not only has the show never been anywhere really close to us, it's been at least 9 years since Guy has filmed in Indiana. That in itself should be a crime. So, let's spread the word, and get these local eateries some national attention.

How Many of These Locally Owned Restaurants Have You Tried?

I am one of the pickiest eaters that you will ever meet. Sometimes I have to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. Here's a list of locally owned eateries that we can all try.

Guy Fieri's Downtown Flavortown Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Ribbon Cutting

Downtown Flavortown is a family entertainment center that includes a restaurant showcasing Guy Fieri's famous culinary combinations; a 14-lane Duck Pin bowling alley; over 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art arcade games; and a full-service tiki bar.

2655 Teaster Ln, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863 | (423) 518-0742 | downtownflavortown.com