Tar Heel Traveler: Tramway Diner

The owner of a classic diner in Sanford was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer nearly put the business up for sale, but he said his faith convinced him to keep the doors open. WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler shares how his business grew and his cancer shrunk as if by a miracle.
Posted 3/10/2026, 10:43:46 PM Updated 3/10/2026, 11:00:10 PM

IS OPEN NOW UNTIL APRIL 6TH.

THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED

ON APRIL. 15TH, OUR TAR HEEL

TRAVELER.

>> IS EATING WELL THIS WEEK AT

RESTAURANTS AROUND THE STATE.

TONIGHT WE FIND SCOTT MASON IN

SANFORD AT A DINER. IT'S MORE

THAN JUST A PLACE TO DINE.

>> TRAMWAY DINER IN SANFORD

SERVING FOOD AND ENCOURAGE MOST

RESTAURANTS AFTER 10 OR 11

YEARS START TO CALM DOWN.

WE'RE PICKING UP WATER OUT

PICKUP AT THE COUNTER. I LOVE

IT. FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT SHE

DIDN'T SAY HERE TWICE TODAY.

NOT AS MANY AS A SCHOOL IN THE

BAY. MAYBE DINNER TO A LOT

ABOUT THE HOUSE ISLAND AND IT

WAS SHE MADE SURE I GOT A BACON

AND EGG BISCUIT AND SOME DEGREE

IT IT. WHY NOT GO FAR TO FIND

IF YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO GET

IT RIGHT THIS ALL DAY LONG?

>> OR YOU CAN COME IN HERE AND

GET A BURGER AT 7 IN

THE MORNING. IT'S A IT'S A A

GREAT BURGERS, BUT THEY ARE

AND PADDY. AND WHAT ELSE IS

GOOD? HAVE A GOOD DAY FOR THE

GOOD FEELING. IT'S ALL OVER AND

I HAD FORGOTTEN HAVE GOOD.

IT WAS. SHE DOESN'T JUST MEAN I

GUESS IF THE FOOD THEY DON'T

JOIN UP HIGH HOLY FATHER WOKE

ME OUT.

>> TELL ME TO GET BACK TO WORK

BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT

SELLING THE PLAY DIRECTED AND

HE'S BEEN.

>> UNBELIEVABLE.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH.

THE FOOD HAS NOT CHANGED ALL

THAT. HE'S THE SPECIAL T I

SPECIALIZE IN BREAKFAST.

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKENS. IT'S

ALL GOOD STUFF. THE CUSTOMERS

HAVE NOT CHANGED AT ALL.

RISE. WE ARE. WE HAVE PEOPLE

THAT COME HERE 7 DAYS A WEEK

EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES TWICE A

DAY. THE ATMOSPHERE HAS NOT

CHANGED.

>> A FAMILY INSIDE A HOME AWAY

FROM HOME AND THE SERVICE SO

LIGHTLY TOASTED WHITE HAS

CHANGED. THE ORDER IS DAY.

I FOUND OUT 3 AND A HALF YEARS

AGO THAT I HAD STAGE 4 CANCER.

AND SO HE THOUGHT ABOUT SELLING

THE DINER, BUT THEN WENT BACK

TO THE DOCTOR AND THE CANCER

HEDGE FROM.

>> A DOCTOR WHO DOESN'T

UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT I DO A

HOLY FATHER'S TAKEN CARE OF

AND THE TRAMWAY DINER IS TAKING

CARE OF. HERE IS THE GREATEST

PLACE

WE TALKED TO PEOPLE TO MINISTER

TO PEOPLE. IF YOU THINK A DINER

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN

PEOPLE'S LIVES. YES. THEY KNOW

HOW TO DO BACON AND TOAST,

WHICH IS REAL IMPORTANT.

WHAT A COMFORTING CATFISH IS

ONE OF OUR BEST SELLERS.

WE HAVE FRAPORT JOBS, THE FOOD,

THE FELLOWSHIP, WHAT THEY FOR

COMING OUT TODAY. THEY HAVE A

WONDERFUL DAY THAT THE TRAMWAY

DINE ONE OF THE BEST IN SAYING,

OH, I LOVE THEM FOR JUST ABOUT

ANY KIND OF COUNTRY. COULD CAN

YOU KNOW, WE GET ORDER TO FEEL

THERE WAS A MIRACLE PUT UPON

YOU.

>> I FEEL THAT I FATHER TOOK

CARE OF ME TO DO ITS JOB AND

YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING AND

I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING IT.

I'M HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

>> TRAMWAY DINERS ON JEFFERSON

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