Past Meets Present at Frank’s

Gabriel Rose | September 29, 2025 | Articles | No Comments

Zeeland’s Oldest Restaurant

Exterior of Frank's — Frank’s is bustling on a hot holiday in July. A restaruant worker can be seen prepping shakes. Photo by: Lisa Enos

Walk through the red-and-white checkered door of Frank’s Diner in Zeeland, and you’re instantly transported to an era when diners were the heart of small-town America. I visited Frank’s on a weekday afternoon expecting a quiet lunch and instead found a bustling hub packed with locals. The jukebox spun classic oldies as vintage Coca-Cola signs and black-and-white photos filled the walls. Even the floors held the past—classic red and white checks underfoot and red bar stools pulled up to a grill that’s very much part of the show. Here, the cooking happens in full view, with burgers sizzling on the grill just steps from your table.

Though the grill-side bar remains part of the original diner experience, change is in the air. Since Tim and Teresa VanderZwagg took over in 2023, they’ve ushered in a new chapter with the launch of Frank’s East, a neighboring expansion that complements the nostalgia of the original.

Frank's famous burgers and shakes. — Frank’s Burger and Shake / Photos by: Frank’s and Gabriel Rose

The shift from the diner’s former smash burgers to a more pub-style patty is one of the few menu changes—but it’s not a reinvention. If anything, Frank’s East adds to the charm. It’s the kind of place where every demographic feels welcome: where a blue-collar lunch break transitions into a family dinner, and where locals catch the game over a drink after work. You can still get a hearty, affordable breakfast or a good burger, but now there’s more room to linger. The addition offers not just elbow room but elevated comfort—complete with handicapped-accessible restrooms and a relaxed dining vibe. It’s not uncommon to see folks pop next door from the main diner, coffee in hand, to scope out the new space.

Frank’s East may be the shiny new addition, but it stands firmly on a century-old foundation of tradition. The history of Frank’s Diner dates back to 1924, making it the longest-running restaurant in the Zeeland and Holland area.

It started not as a burger joint, but as Dionise Confectionary, a humble shop opened by Italian immigrants Frank and Mary Dionise. What began as a storefront selling exotic fruits and handmade chocolates eventually grew into a beloved local institution. Frank’s was the place for roasted peanuts, sundaes, and sodas.

Frank's Historical Coca-Cola sign — Frank’s Historical Coke Sign / Photo by: Lisa Enos

Despite the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II, Frank’s survived—and evolved. During the war, Frank added a grill and fryer to the back, and suddenly Frank’s had burgers and fries.

In the decades that followed, Frank’s would pass through several generations of the Dionise family—each adding their own flair. Though the restaurant eventually left Dionise hands, the mission remains intact under new ownership. The essence of Frank’s—its food, its warmth, its unshakable place in Zeeland’s heart—has stayed the same. There are regulars who remember coming in 80 years ago for a 10-cent sundae, and today, class reunions still gather at Frank’s to relive their “good ol’ days.”

With the introduction of Frank’s East and its exposed Veneklasen brick walls—crafted from Zeeland’s own historic brickyard—the restaurant hasn’t just expanded physically; it’s deepened its roots in local heritage. Historic photos of Zeeland hang proudly inside. Frank’s continues to grow without forgetting who it is.