RivCo's Idyllwild Diner Gets TikTok Rave Reviews From Australia

IDYLLWILD, CA — Perry's Red Kettle Restaurant in Idyllwild became TikTok-famous after delighting an Aussie visitor with endless pours of coffee and a "scene right from the movies."

TikToker Greta May of Australia's recent video clip has engaged over 200,000 viewers and nearly 7,000 commenters. In it, she describes waking up in the mountain town and strolling to the restaurant for a to-go coffee. Instead, she got a whole lot more.

Her video shows her amazement at engaging with small-town America where it lives: at a booth table with laminated menus and chatting with a friendly waitress over endless pours of drip coffee.

"The drip coffee? We don't do that here," May said. "I don't know if this is a normal thing for you guys, but for me, this was something I'd only seen in the movies."

Once inside The Red Kettle, she was seated and given a ceramic mug with a generous pour from "one of those glass pots, right at the table." For the next few minutes, she people-watched a group of plaid-wearing "blokes" chatting up the friendly waitress as they ate breakfast.

"Before I can gather my thoughts, the waitress comes over with the pot to pour me another cup," she said. "She popped her hand on my shoulder and said, 'What would you like, hon?' um, for you to adopt me?"

Instead of walking out with a paper cup as she planned, May sat at a table, ordered a "very American pancake breakfast" at the waitress's prompting, and had her coffee filled no fewer than five times.

"It was so sweet," May said. "I chatted with other diners, one man who was there with his support dog. I watched the regulars come in and be greeted by name. I actually took photos, and I don't even care if it's lame." She described the visit as "one of her favorite experiences while in America."

The Red Kettle Restaurant's manager, Tamara McFarland, chatted with Patch about what makes their diner unique.

"In other countries, this type of 'endless coffee' service is unusual, but in Idyllwild and at diners across America, we take it for granted," she said.

The restaurant sits in the center of town, under the jutting edifice of Idyllwild's Tahquitz Peak. On the weekends, the line is out the door with residents and visitors waiting to have coffee and breakfast and soak in the atmosphere.

The historic diner opened its doors in the 1920s, and many of its workers—including herself—have been there for decades. One of the longest-running waitstaff, Bonnie Reynolds, served May that morning. At 72 years old, she is semi-retired. Coffee and conversation are part of her workday routine, according to McFarland. She hung up her apron when new ordering technology passed her by and now makes ends meet by working a few days each week, seating guests, handing out menus, and pouring endless coffee to her patrons.

"Of course, Bonnie served her that day," McFarland said. "I'm not surprised at all the customer felt right at home at her table. Everyone here is really friendly, and Perry's Red Kettle is known for this."

The mention on social media was a nice surprise, according to McFarland.

"But it makes sense. Other countries don't do things the way we do here. On weekday mornings, we have tables of businessmen that gather around," she said. "We joke with them across the restaurant. She must have come in early that day to get a table right away."

The TikToker's comparison of the restaurant to a film scene has delighted Idyllwild residents and Perry's Red Kettle employees alike.

They left an open invitation for all who visit the mountain town to stop in for a cup of coffee and see for themselves.