TV Restaurants

Is The Penguin Still Open? Update (Charlotte, NC)

Open reported

As of September 2026, The Penguin is listed open on thepenguindrivein.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
thepenguindrivein.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The business's own website, checked 2026-09-07, returned HTTP 200 with a 2026 copyright notice, an active reservation/ordering feature, and text noting a weekly Wednesday trivia night.

  • Season / episode Season 1, Episode 3
  • Original air date
  • Address 1531 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203

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What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' third episode, 'Blue Plate Special' (aired 2007-05-07), featured The Penguin, a drive-in restaurant on East Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, that the business's own website says has served the neighborhood since 1954. The Penguin's website, checked on 2026-09-07, returned an active page with a 2026 copyright notice, working reservation and menu-viewing features, and current promotions including a standing Wednesday trivia night. Listed hours on the same check were Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. The combination of current-year copyright, active booking tools, and specific weekly programming indicates the restaurant was operating under its original name at its original East Boulevard address as of the check.

The Penguin is a classic drive-in diner in Charlotte's Dilworth/South End area, serving Southern comfort food such as burgers, fried bologna sandwiches, and pimento cheese in a retro roadside setting the business's own website says has served Charlotte since 1954.

This entry marks the show's April 11, 2012 visit to the restaurant, already tracked in the database as ddd-0009. The Penguin Drive-In's own website, thepenguindrivein.com, was live and current as of a 2026-09-08 check, listing 2026 hours and a working online reservation system.

Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season / episode
Season 1, Episode 3
Original air date
Episode title
Blue Plate Special
What was featured
retro drive-in classics such as burgers and shakes
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
The Penguin
Season / episode
Season 4, Episode 26
Original air date
Episode title
—
What was featured
Historic Charlotte drive-in diner and burger spot
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
The Penguin

Frequently asked questions

Is The Penguin still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, The Penguin is listed open on thepenguindrivein.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to The Penguin after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' third episode, 'Blue Plate Special' (aired 2007-05-07), featured The Penguin, a drive-in restaurant on East Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, that the business's own website says has served the neighborhood since 1954. As of September 2026, The Penguin is listed open on thepenguindrivein.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is The Penguin located?

1531 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured The Penguin?

Season 1, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, first aired May 7, 2007. The episode is titled “Blue Plate Special”.

Is The Penguin still using the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives menu or branding?

The Penguin's website, checked on 2026-09-07, returned an active page with a 2026 copyright notice, working reservation and menu-viewing features, and current promotions including a standing Wednesday trivia night. 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
1531 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203
Venue type
diner
Official website
thepenguindrivein.com

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Record ddd-0009 · last verified .