TV Restaurants

What Happened to Rick's White Light Diner? (Frankfort, KY)

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 21 Frankfort, Kentucky

Current status

Closed

As of October 2026, Rick's White Light Diner has closed — confirmed via state-journal.com, July 26, 2024.

What the source shows: A State Journal article dated 2024-07-26 reports that Big Daddy's Fried Chicken opened in the former Rick's White Light Diner space at 114 Bridge Street. How we decide a status →

What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives? 2 episodes

Part 1 — Season 21, Episode 14 Aired

On the 'Southern Spectacular' episode (aired 2014-12-22), Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives revisited Rick's White Light Diner in Frankfort, spotlighting the diner's Cajun-Southern menu of oyster po-boys, crawfish pie, and Muffaletta alongside its Memphis-style pulled pork barbecue. The show's original visit, which aired in March 2010, featured what became known as the 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Sampler,' a plate of two oysters and a half slice of crawfish pie, according to Visit Frankfort.

Part 2 — Season 9, Episode 12 Aired

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured Rick's White Light Diner in the 2010-07-26 episode "You Called It" (S9E12), highlighting the restaurant's Cajun-influenced diner cooking. Rick's White Light Diner was a breakfast-and-lunch counter at 114 Bridge Street in Frankfort, Kentucky. According to the State Journal, Big Daddy's Fried Chicken opened in the former Rick's White Light Diner space on 2024-07-26, replacing the diner at that address. The State Journal article did not give an exact date for Rick's own closure, only that Big Daddy's had taken over the location by that date. No 2026-dated listing, review, or working website was found showing Rick's White Light Diner still operating at 114 Bridge Street.

The episodes Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Episode 14
Aired
Title: Southern Spectacular · What was featured: Crawfish pie and oyster po-boy sampler
Season 9, Episode 12
Aired
Title: You Called It · What was featured: Cajun-influenced diner breakfast and lunch plates
How Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 21 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season 21: 48 of 75 still open · 6 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 18 Season 21 episodes →

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All 43 TV restaurants in Kentucky →

Before you go: 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 we checked 3 references

  1. visitfrankfort.com https://visitfrankfort.com/the-ultimate-american-drive/
  2. dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com https://www.dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com/ricks-white-light-diner-kentucky.html
  3. state-journal.com https://state-journal.com/2024/07/26/big-daddys-opens-in-ricks-white-light-diner-location/
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Record ddd-0350 · checked by Cal Marchetti.