TV Restaurants

Who Runs R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) Now?

New owners verified

As of September 2026, R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) operates under new ownership — confirmed via shawlocal.com, December 10, 2024.

Primary source
shawlocal.com ·
Secondary source
rochesternow.net ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The Morris Herald-News reported the December 2024 closure, and a 2025 follow-up plus a permanently-closed Yelp listing confirm Black Bear Diner took over the site.

  • Season / episode Season 4, Episode 22
  • Original air date
  • Address 21 Romines Dr, Morris, IL
  • Current name Black Bear Diner

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What happened after Food Paradise?

Food Paradise's “Truck Stop Paradise” (aired 2013) featured R Place, the sit-down diner at the TA travel center off Interstate 80 and Route 47 in Morris, Illinois, spotlighting its 24-hour truck-stop menu and a four-pound cheeseburger challenge that earned finishers a spot on the restaurant's wall of fame. Larry and Kathy Romines opened the eatery as the 100-seat Chuck Wagon in 1967, later expanding it into the 250-seat R-Place Family Eatery, decorated with hanging wagon wheels and antique toy displays. The Morris Herald-News reported on December 10, 2024 that R-Place had closed. A Yelp listing for R Place Family Eatery, updated in May 2026, still marks the business permanently closed, and a July 2025 report said Black Bear Diner, a national diner chain, had reopened at the same Romines Drive site.

Featured on Food Paradise

Season / episode
Season 4, Episode 22
Original air date
Episode title
Truck Stop Paradise
What was featured
24-hour truck-stop diner and its four-pound cheeseburger challenge
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80)

Frequently asked questions

Is R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) operates under new ownership — confirmed via shawlocal.com, December 10, 2024.

What happened to R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) after Food Paradise?

Food Paradise's “Truck Stop Paradise” (aired 2013) featured R Place, the sit-down diner at the TA travel center off Interstate 80 and Route 47 in Morris, Illinois, spotlighting its 24-hour truck-stop menu and a four-pound cheeseburger challenge that earned finishers a spot on the restaurant's wall of fame. As of September 2026, R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) operates under new ownership — confirmed via shawlocal.com, December 10, 2024.

What is R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) called now?

Now: Black Bear Diner (formerly R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80)). As of September 2026, R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) operates under new ownership — confirmed via shawlocal.com, December 10, 2024.

Where is R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) located?

21 Romines Dr, Morris, IL. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Food Paradise featured R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80)?

Season 4, Episode 22 of Food Paradise, first aired 2013. The episode is titled “Truck Stop Paradise”.

Who owns R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) now?

As of September 2026, R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) operates under new ownership — confirmed via shawlocal.com, December 10, 2024. We name individual owners only where a source we cite names them.

Is R Place Restaurant (I-64, U.S. 35 North to I-80) still using the Food Paradise menu or branding?

Food Paradise's “Truck Stop Paradise” (aired 2013) featured R Place, the sit-down diner at the TA travel center off Interstate 80 and Route 47 in Morris, Illinois, spotlighting its 24-hour truck-stop menu and a four-pound cheeseburger challenge that earned finishers a spot on the restaurant's wall of fame. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
21 Romines Dr, Morris, IL
Venue type
diner
Official website
None found

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

  • shawlocal.com — https://www.shawlocal.com/morris-herald-news/2024/12/10/r-place-in-morris-to-close/
  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/r-place-family-eatery-morris
  • rochesternow.net — https://rochesternow.net/ixp/723/p/reopened-restaurant-morris/

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Record fp-0358 · last verified .