MILLS — One regular describes G-Ma’s Diner the local joint that feels like home and the go-to spot in the greater Casper area to get that classic diner breakfast people crave.
The restaurant at 4755 W. Yellowstone Highway on the south side of West Yellowstone Highway has been that place for 40 years, creating a faithful following under various ownership and names.
“We’re known for our biscuits and gravy,” said Sarah Schicketanz, a server at G-Ma’s for more than 12 years. “Best biscuits and gravy in Wyoming. Our G-Ma’s cup says so.”
Schicketanz said the diner’s eight seats at the counter and nine tables are typically filled during breakfast and lunch rush hours. The diner is open 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, and 6 a.m. to noon on weekends.
Whether it is breakfast or lunch, the diner’s doors keep opening and shutting as familiar faces pop in, or the odd traveler who acts on a recommendation and tries out the restaurant’s down-home menu of comfort fare.
Server Erika Condelario has worked at the diner for 2.5 years and she said it’s the regulars who make the restaurant special.
“We know everyone’s story, really. We just get to know our customers,” she said. “We’ve hunted them down if they don’t show up when they are ‘everydayers.’ We have a 95-year-old that comes in and when he disappeared for a couple of days, we went out searching. But he was at home, he just took a couple of days off and didn’t tell us he was, so we just take care of our customers.”
‘Good Little Diner’
Seated at the counter during a Cowboy State Daily visit, Bryce Carter of Casper said he’s one of the regulars and tries to stop in at least once a week.
“It’s a good little diner," he said. "The wait staff is usually in a pretty good mood and laughs a lot. They’ll carry on a conversation with you if you want.”
Carter said the diner has good green chili — which can be put on anything — and he will order the green chili burger from time to time. He said the chicken-fried steak and gravy is another good choice.
Lunchtime features daily specials. During Cowboy State Daily’s visit, it was Smothered Beef Burrito with a choice of red or green chili and topped with tomatoes, onions and cheese for $12.95. The soup and sandwich special was vegetable soup and a grilled ham and pepperjack cheese with fries.
Patrons can choose from nine burgers and nine sandwiches. The Philly Burger involves a 1/3-pound beef patty topped with cream cheese, grilled mushrooms, onions and jalapeños.
There are five salad choices that include a chef salad, crispy chicken salad, buffalo chicken, southwest turkey Cobb salad, and the side salad.
The breakfast menu includes classic fare. Along with the biscuits and gravy are biscuits and green chili. That’s a biscuit split in half with two eggs on top, smothered with green chili.
The diner also makes its own corned beef hash from scratch and services it with two eggs, hash browns or home fries, and toast.
Breakfast is served all day.
The restaurant also offers to-go orders.
G-Ma’s servers say they like to keep track of their customers and create a fun dining experience. Shown from left are Sarah Schicketanz, Erika Condelario, and Crystal Collier. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
G-Ma’s Diner in Mills, Wyoming, typically draws a crowd for breakfast and lunch with a mix of regulars and visitors looking for homestyle diner fare. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
The classic diner counter at G-Ma’s can seat nine and boasts colorful print chairs that come from another era. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
Don Clark of Salt Lake City, Utah, was just traveling through the area and learned about G-Ma’s. He stopped in for a burger lunch. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
G-Ma’s Diner’s interior features an old-style metal ceiling and Western and classic diner images on its walls. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
The classic diner counter at G-Mas in Mills. (Google) 
Classic car, truck, and soft drink signs fill the wall between the soft drink and coffee machines at the diner. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily) 
At least one of the chairs in the restaurant retains some of the color of the logo of the restaurant when it was called Pork-N-Beans. (Dale Killingbeck, Cowboy State Daily)
Entertaining Staff
A lot of truckers stop at G-Ma’s, but people from all walks of life stop in as well. When they arrive, Condelario and Schicketanz try to make the atmosphere fun.
“We love to entertain,” Condelario said.
Classic diner signs advertising cars, semis and soft drinks are on the walls. A Pepsi sign dates back to the time when a bottle cost 5 cents. Another vintage sign shows a cup of Joe and states, “Just give me coffee and no one gets hurt.”
Because the diner is between the Casper/Natrona County International Airport and Casper, tourists and travelers will often stop in looking for a classic mom-and-pop diner atmosphere,” Condelario said.
One of those travelers on a recent day was Donald Clark from Salt Lake City. He was headed through the area and stopped for gas. He asked the gas station clerk where to eat for lunch.
“The guy at the gas station told us this is good,” he said, sitting at a table. He ordered a burger and fries and called it “great. I like those French fries.”
Travis Brown of Cheyenne recently bought the restaurant. He said he was working with a Casper real estate agent to find a building to open a restaurant similar to those he owns in Cheyenne and Laramie and learned that G-Ma’s was for sale. He visited, ate and saw something of value.
“When we came and ate at it, the food was awesome and the service was amazing,” he said. “I ran restaurants just like this for a guy in Arizona, so we were super excited to have an opportunity.”
Brown said he is not planning to make any big adjustments to the menu or operations, just a few process changes.
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
If you're not hungry for breakfast, there's other classic comfort food at G-Ma's Diner. (Google) 
If you're not hungry for breakfast, there's other classic comfort food at G-Ma's Diner. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google) 
There's nothing like a classic diner breakfast, which is the specialty at G-Ma's Diner in Mills, Wyoming. (Google)
‘Family Environment’
Of the 15 or so staff who work at G-Ma’s Diner, Crystal Collier said she joined just over two months ago. She has worked at other restaurants and calls G-Ma’s a special place because of the staff and customers.
“It’s a great family environment,” she said. “It’s always a happy environment.”
The diner initially began as Herbo’s in the 1980s and then was sold and became Pork-N-Beans before G-Ma’s.
The back of the some of the chairs at the tables still carry the logo from the Pork-N-Beans era, showing the backsides of three little pigs.
Chairs at the counter are colorful print patterns covered in plastic that seems left over from the 1960s. And there is a classic metal ceiling that is probably original to the building.
Heidi Jones of Casper said she has been coming to the restaurant for 30 years through the different ownerships and names. For her, it is a place to connect with others.
“I think the atmosphere has always been about the same. It’s a nice place to come, you are known, everybody is really friendly, and you know what to expect when you come in here,” said Jones, adding she comes in about once a week.
“I am by myself and so it just feels homey,” she said. “It’s nice to know the people. Like I heard (the waitress) say what’s going on with people. It’s just nice to see a friendly face and it’s a nice place to get away for a break for lunch.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
