Kay’s Diner IV

Bangin BREAKFAST! !! these ladies work hard… this is actually my special spot for lunch usually and I love the chicken and cheese sub. Fresh fixings with onions, farm grown tomato and crisp lettuce. The «hot line» changes every day. ribs. Teriyaki teriyaki chicken. ROASTED turkey. Baked fish. Home made fresh mashed potato. Collard greens. If you did not. know any better almost seems that you stepped into a south Carolina diner except for the friendly Asian girls behind the counter :)
Good spot. Eat LOCAL

Kay’s Diner IV gets the job done. Route 1 is swamped with fast food traps and sit down restaurants. Kay’s is in the middle. Food is served fast but you can sit down if you want. Overall, it’s not particularly fancy but the breakfast is made to order, the coffee is hot, service is fast, and the prices are low.

Kay’s Diner IV is good if you are looking for a cheap spartan restaurant that serves a decent breakfast or lunch. There are no frills (other than WNEW blaring on a «Radio Raheem”-type1980’s boom box.
Service: C–
It is staffed lean. There was only 1 cook and 1 person to work the register while I was there. The person at the register was not friendly (but not rude), she just wanted you to make up your mind quickly in that Seinfeld Soup-​Nazi type way.
Also, something that rubbed me the wrong way was that the drink reach-​in cooler was on the other side of the restaurant. I ordered a small bottled water and was told to retrieve it out of the cooler myself. That’s fine. I saw a large bottle and a smaller bottle in the cooler and picked out the smaller bottle. When my order was ready and I approached the cashier, she said «you grabbed a medium water so I am adding 50 cents on to your bill.» I was stunned and said I didn’t realize and I took the smaller water bottle in the cooler, assuming that was the small. She replied abruptly «well that is a medium, I am adding 50 cents on to your bill.» All-​in-​all, 50 cents is not that big of a deal, but the way it was handled, and her abrupt response, did not make be feel like a valued customer. They are not customer centered, but that may not be their mission.
Food: B–
I ordered breakfast during lunch. It was basic pancakes, eggs, and scrapple. Not great, but not bad either. Just decent. There were several construction workers and truck drivers who ordered large sandwiches and seem to enjoy their lunch.
Décor: C
Just plain and spartan. Lots of wear and tear, but not dirty. I felt like I was eating in an old trucker’s hall, rather than a diner. (See the pics I uploaded)
Price: A
You get what you pay for and it is cheap!
WiFi: F
There is WiFi at this establishment. That is one of the reasons I went there for lunch. However, it requires a password. When I asked the cashier for the password she said «I have it on my phone, but I don’t have the password.» She then picked up her phone and showed me. I said, so you have WiFi available, but I can’t access it because you don’t know password. She turned to the cook, asked him for the password, but he did not know it either. She then just walked away from the counter never to return mumbling «I don’t have the password.» Not having WiFi is not a big deal, but if you have it, the employees should be able to tell the customer the password.
I travel all over the DMV area for a living and have eaten at almost every major diner. Kays Diner IV ranks near the bottom middle of DMV area diners. Also, in Beltsville, there are several other restaurants, owned by small business owners, who do a better job in food quality, service, and décor. Unless I’m down to my last few bucks, I will not return to Kay’s Diner IV.

*3.5 stars*
I don’t know where Kay’s I, II, and III are, but number 4 is worth a visit if you’re in the Route 1 area between College Park and Laurel. Breakfast spots can be few and far between, with the exception of Denny’s, IHOP, and Silver Diner. There’s obviously the fast food approach if you’re willing to stomach Mickey Dee’s, etc. I’ll even treat myself to a Dunkin’ Donuts b-​fast sandwich occasionally.
But if you’re looking for the comforts of a home-​cooked meal, try Kay’s. They have numerous breakfast options — combination platters (eggs, toast, and meat), hot cakes, french toast, sandwiches, subs, and croissants. My bacon, egg, and cheese croissant was large, flaky, and steaming fresh. It also was a bargain at just $ 3.75! All the breakfast items are quite reasonably priced — mostly nder $ 5, which you won’t find at chains like Denny’s.
I haven’t dined here for other meals of the day but I can tell you that they have a nice selection on the menu. Expect to go in, order, and pay at the counter. Serve yourself a drink (after paying of course). Take your tray to one of the tables and eat up!