Eat'n Park Book, Rodent-Ridden Pittsburgh Grocery & More: Weekly Wrap

PITTSBURGH, PA — Eat'n Park has been a regional treasure for decades, but no one has ever chronicled the history of the restaurant chain and its offshoot brands until now.

Author Lynn McMahon's tome, "The Story Behind the Smile," is now available at all Eat'n Park locations and will be available elsewhere beginning next month.

Without giving too much away, the book contains these tasty tidbits:

• More than 700 team members have worked for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group for more than 25 years.

• Eat’n Park was started by an employee of Isaly’s.

• Eat’n Park once owned car washes called Gas’n Glo.

• The Smiley Cookie was inspired by a cookie the chairman of Eat’n Park enjoyed as a youth.

• Every Strawberry Pie contains two pounds of fresh strawberries.

• In the early 1980s, team members formed the Eat’n Park Singers and produced an album called "Christmas Wishes."

• The Allegheny County Health Department slapped a consumer alert on a Pittsburgh grocery store for reasons you probably don't want to know.

• How do you like that? The snack bar at the late, lamented Hill's department store chain is coming back -- well, sort of.

• These Pittsburgh restaurants will be open on Christmas.

• A new restaurant is opening down at the ever-happening Waterfront.