Acting and motorcycle riding would come — in 2002, a then 62-year-old Riley rode his motorcycle to Los Angeles where he and his wife, Marty, lived two years while he acted. But the bulk of Riley’s life has been spent driving restaurants forward.
Benjamin’s The Burger Master still stands at 1000 N. Main St. where Riley opened it 32 years ago and sold hamburgers with names like Poor Richard’s Burger and the Big Ben. They paid homage to the restaurant’s namesake, Benjamin Franklin.
The business’ name was a spinoff of Riley’s first restaurant, the former Benjamin’s of Franklin Square.
The menu has evolved over the years at Benjamin’s The Burger Master, but Riley said the emphasis remains on quality.
“These are all of our own recipes,” he said on a recent Dining Diva’s visit. “We are kind of a hybrid fast-food restaurant. We are like an old-fashioned restaurant, but we have soul food.”
As the “Burger Master” in the restaurant’s name suggests, burgers remain a big deal at Riley’s eatery.
The menu of full-size, made-to-order burgers, range from the $2.99 hamburger to the $3.99 bacon cheeseburger. Extra meat, please and thanks, is $1.50.
There is also a variety of chicken and barbecue options and sides that includes southern-flavored hits like fried okra and greens.
Riley, a filmmaker, director and member of the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame and Screen Actors Guild, relies heavily on his staff. Many have been with him for years and years. He loaned us a copy of “The Line Shack,” a riveting drama he acted in and directed, and produced with Jon Briddell. He’s definitely serious about making movies. In fact, “Old Buzzards,” his latest work, will be presented Sunday, April 13, as part of the Bare Bones Film Festival in Muskogee, Okla.
Manager Carrie Johnson White has been with the restaurant 18 years. She said pride is put into each order.
“Everything is made from scratch,” she said. “The burgers and the chicken and corn bread and the bean and the greens.”
Like White, most of the staff has been around for ages. Take, for example, Jay Jackson, who’s been working there in the kitchen for 9 years. “We keep people fed,” Jackson boasted.
And then there’s Denise Marzette, who’s been part of the Benjamin’s family for 15 years. “I personally make fresh salads every day,” she said.
The employees’ pride and happiness are no act. They genuinely love their jobs and pass the love onto everyone else.
We asked Riley what his secret was for retaining such wonderful employees.
“One of my earliest philosophies was when I worked for a chain restaurant a long time ago,” he said. “What is the difference of hiring four really good people at $5 an hour instead of 5 for $4 an hour?
“If I get my rent, I’m happy. I give most of the money to employees. I gave $20,000 (in bonuses) to employees one year,” he said.
What we had:
Amelia: The gooey Swiss cheese was not spared on the juicy burger I ordered topped with a savory mushroom sauce for $3.99. We couldn’t pass up the fried okra. The beautiful golden nuggets of breaded goodness came crispy on the outside and firm on the inside for $1.69. There are enough to share, which is a good thing, because Connie loves fried okra and kept mooching off my plate.
Connie: On this day, the daily lunch special was Chopped Steak with Mushroom Gravy for $6.79. It was tasty (I’d say as good as mom’s) and there was more than plenty of it. I highly recommend it. You can definitely taste the love that everyone puts into it. Also the cake. Benjamin’s offers assorted pies and cakes for $2.19 each. I don’t remember when I had better German chocolate cake than the piece I had here.
The info: Benjamin's The Burger Master, 100 N. Main St., Dayton. (937) 223-8702.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Post Script: Amelia Robinson and Connie Post are two of the Dayton Daily News' Dining Divas. Where should they go next? Email your comments to The DDN's Dining Divas at life@coxinc.com.
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