Pilots Grill Tab

With five decades of successful service to diners from Maine and beyond, Pilots Grill has built its reputation on consistently offering excellent food, attracting steady customers and hiring capable, loyal employees.

Employees say it is easy to be loyal to a family that treats them so well.

“They are very caring. They seem to respect their waitresses a lot more than a lot of places,” said waitress Jennifer Budge Kingery.

Employees tell of the Zoidis family’s concern for them during a time of personal need — from rearranging work schedules to accommodate the needs of an employee with a family emergency to sending a platter of food to ease the burden on a newly bereaved family.

In addition, the high standards set by the Zoidis family rub off on employees at all levels, making the restaurant a pleasant place in which to work.

Bill Zoidis remembered his father and uncles, “In 1942, Peter and Ernest entered the military, and they returned in 1945 and came back to work at the Grill. Paul was a lot like Ernie. They were always joking with the staff and making them relax.”

“Peter was more of an organization man. He liked to have things done by the numbers. The three brothers kind of complimented each other, having different personalities and different work methods to get the job done,” said Zoidis, who joined the family business in 1954 after graduating from the University of Maine prelaw program.

Waitresses recalled that Ernie would greet customers at the door saying, “Take good care of my friend, here.” He called the waitresses his “stars.” If he had to get someone’s attention and didn’t happen to remember her name, he would call, “young lady….”

It worked every time.

Another member of the family who worked at the restaurant was Bill’s mother Dorothy (Mrs. Paul) Zoidis, who with her sister, Doris Soulas, would serve as hostess, oversee the waitresses and prepare specialty dishes for banquets. Her influence was felt throughout the restaurant.

“She did a lot of work behind the scenes. She did have quite a bit of influence in what went on in the business. A lot of the ladies clubs would only talk to her to book a banquet. And she did encounter difficulties with male employees that didn’t want to `take orders from a woman,’ but she used to tell them, `if the woman’s qualified, you’ll do it.”‘

Just as Dorothy Zoidis’ influence was felt at the restaurant, the Zoidis family had an impact on all of Bangor.

“That family has been a great asset to the community. They’re just wonderful, sincere people,” said friendly rival Sonny Miller, a good friend of Bill Zoidis’.

When Paul Zoidis opened Pilots Grill, Bill was still a youngster. He literally grew up in the restaurant business and has been a restauranteur for nearly four decades. He is a respected member of the Maine Restaurant Association and represents the state to the National Restaurant Association.