Metro Diner has opened its first Palm Harbor location, at 35000 U.S. Highway 19 N., in The Fountains shopping center. The 3,490-square-foot restaurant seats 112 guests and marks the company’s sixth location in the Tampa Bay Area.
The Florida-based brand, best known for its fried chicken and waffles and all-day breakfast service, continues to expand across the Gulf Coast. For Palm Harbor residents, the opening adds another locally rooted dining option to a market that has seen steady population and business growth in recent years.
With existing diners in Tampa, Brandon and Lakeland, Metro Diner strengthens the chain’s growing footprint across central Florida. The new restaurant joins an active stretch of restaurants in Palm Harbor, adding a recognizable name to the area’s evolving breakfast and brunch scene.
What happened
Founded in Jacksonville in 1992, Metro Diner has grown from a single neighborhood eatery into a national comfort-food chain, with more than 60 restaurants. The Palm Harbor diner is led by Managing Partner Eric Derrico, a longtime restaurateur who says the community response has been enthusiastic…