Deb Malewski
Contributing Writer
Susan and Raquel Brumit own Street’s Eats, a drive-in-style restaurant located at 104 South Main Street in Olivet. They are a hardworking mother and daughter team and, despite not really having much restaurant experience, they jumped into it like a house afire for the 2018 Olivet Fireman’s Fest, one of the biggest events in Olivet. They haven’t regretted their decision since.
“We work well together,” Susan said. “We both have the same kind of pride in our work, and the willingness to please our customers. And, we are good at bouncing ideas off each other.”
With her maiden name being “Street,” it was an easy transition to become the theme for their diner, Susan explained. The name also served to honor Susan’s brother, Jim, who passed away from cancer. They offer a special ice cream sundae in his honor.
Street’s Eats has a nostalgic look to it. Out front, you’ll find drive-up spaces where, when the weather is better, you can stay in your car and your food will be brought to you on a tray that attaches to the side of your vehicle.
“It just makes it more fun,” Raquel explained. “I can’t wait for it!”
There is also a walk-up order window for service. Street’s Eats offers delivery service up to six miles away, for fifty-cents per mile.
They pride themselves on serving fresh, homemade food, and their customers seem to appreciate it.
“We’ve doubled the menu since we first bought the place,” Raquel said. “And everything is made fresh here.”
“It was overwhelming, initially, when we started,” Raquel said. The hardest part of starting the business was logistics, Susan said, “We just didn’t know what we were doing.” How to price things, how much to order, and timing were big considerations. But with practice and a little time, they’ve figured it out, and continue to grow their business.
“Last season was our best season ever, despite COVID-19,” Raquel said. “We were very pleasantly surprised. We have a lot of wonderful regular customers that are so supportive.” They have not had to raise their prices due to the COVID-19 effect on their business, she added, despite the dramatic increase in food prices, especially in meat.
One of their challenges, though, is reminding people they are not like other fast-food restaurants. With home-made food, sometimes there is a little longer wait. Their hamburgers, for instance, take about ten minutes to prepare and cook.
Street’s Eats menu is full of delicious, homemade, comfort food. They serve one-quarter pound hamburgers, hotdogs, pasta, munchies, pizza, ice cream, subs, and more. Gluten-free pizza crust is also available.
One of the most popular items on their menu is the Jalapeño Burger, Raquel said. It’s a burger with jalapeño jack cheese, jalapeño slices, fried onion tangles, and jalapeño mayo, all prepared with just the right amount of “zing and spice.” Comet Bites are another popular “munchie” item. They are deep-fried pizza dough balls, flavored with garlic butter or cinnamon sugar.
The baked macaroni and cheese dish is another big favorite. “We can’t keep it on the menu,” Raquel said. It’s available with various add-ons, including bacon, BBQ, and buffalo chicken.
Mooville ice cream is served, with between eight and twelve different flavors usually available, including soft serve. Ice Cream “flights,” wooden paddles with holes for multiple small servings of all your favorite flavors of Mooville Ice Cream, are coming soon to Street’s Eats. Mooville created a special ice cream just for Street’s Eats, called Hot Rod. It has chocolate ice cream, marshmallow and caramel swirls, and a hard chocolate coating on top.
Street’s Eats is also working on reducing the plastics used in their take-out packaging. “We don’t use plastic containers, and even our ice cream cups will be compostable.” Each year they try to eliminate one plastic thing ordinarily used in the restaurant business.
Street’s Eats is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. from the first week of February through Halloween. Contact them at 269-280-5008 or on Facebook at Streets-Eats.
