Family Night Pizza in Panama has had a great first year and is looking forward to 2024. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

PANAMA — Dorothy Miller and her family, owners of Family Night Pizza in Panama, have had an “absolutely great” first year in business.

Located at 8 W. Main St., the restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. During their first year in business, Miller said they have gotten to know more people and make a place for themselves in the Panama community.

“We’ve made a lot of new friends,” Miller said. “We have enjoyed serving people food and hearing the positive feedback.”

After word started to get out about their restaurant, Miller said one of the biggest surprises was how far people would travel for their food.

Family Night Pizza offers more than just pizza; they also offer chicken wings, baked goods, baked subs, wraps, cold subs, sides, salads and cheesecakes. Baked goods such as pies, cookies, bread and rolls are a newer offering that they added during the year.

Looking toward 2024, the family is considering expanding the dining area.

“We are considering a pizza buffet for dining in,” Miller said. “It’s still in the planning stage right now but that’s the goal. We want to have a bigger dining room and be able to serve more people. We hope it will draw more people for dining in.”

Throughout the last year Miller said what the family has appreciated most is the regular customers, adding that they also love new customers and that people constantly share their Facebook posts. Miller added that she appreciates hearing how the community has welcomed them to the village.

“Sometimes when we maybe didn’t give the best service people are still gracious,” Miller said. “And with all of the changes we have had happen in our family this past year, we have been met with support and understanding from the community, which means so much, including that people are praying for us.”

Even with all of the changes, Miller said their main goal at the beginning of opening the business remains the same.

“As the business evolves, we still want to keep the one thing that we started with, which is that we are a family serving people,” Miller said. “We are a family-oriented business.”