The Derby Restaurant on New Market Main Street is expanding to a second restaurant on Fenwick Island, Derby Dan’s Fenwick Island. The Derby is a family-friendly restaurant and is a hotspot for middle and high school students. They provide fun activities, great food, and frequently help with local fundraisers. 

Dan Caiola has grown up in a  restaurant family almost his whole life. 

“My uncle owns a restaurant in New York, and I started working there when I was 12 and knew that owning a restaurant was what I wanted to do from then on,” said Caiola.

Caiola enjoys going into work every day because there is always something new to look forward to. He enjoys new customers, new challenge, new achievements in the kitchen and, now, a new restaurant. 

“My favorite part of the job is being able to be creative with different foods and coming up with different dishes to make people happy and feel good through the meal we serve them,” said Caiola.

Dan and Stacy Caiola have owned the Derby for almost four years. They’re expanding because they want to grow the business ,make more money, and spread their delicious food to different areas. They’re opening a restaurant near the beach because they’re hoping to spread their brand down by the beach. 

Caiola said, “The Fenwick location will be very Beachy themed with a tattoo shop artwork influence.”

What Does The Derby Provide? 

Their menu has a variety of different types of foods such as, handhelds, pizza, seafood, soups, salads, classic dishes, and a large range of appetizers. They also have an ice cream shack in the back of the restaurant.

The Ice Cream Shack is open during the warm season – late spring through early fall. The flavors of ice cream include coffee, chocolate, cookies and cream, vanilla, and birthday cake. The ice cream shack also has milkshakes and snow cones.

The Derby provides an outdoor seating area for customers. Since The Derby is just steps away from the middle school, it’s a popular after school hangout. They even have a bouncy house for the little ones to play on when it’s warmer outside.

What is it like to work at the Derby? 

The Derby also provides an opportunity for anyone of the ages of 14 and up to work. For minors there jobs are normally food runner, bussers, hostess. Any age above 18 can work as a delivery driver, or a waitress. 

“What I enjoy most about being in my restaurant is my staff. We are a very close group and we are like a big family. We all look out for each other and help each other out like a family would,” said Caiola.

Senior Brayden Gregory works at The Derby, and he really enjoys his job.“My favorite part of my job is the amount of interactions you get. Everyone is so much fun to work with and talk to,” said Gregory. He had explained how when he was deciding his first job he knew that he really wanted to work at a restaurant. 

Gregory used to work as a busser, which includes cleaning tables and taking dishes to the sink area. Caiola then promoted him to food runner. Food runner is the person who normally works in the kitchen and is taking the food out to tables. 

Gregory said, “ Dan really liked how I worked with the kitchen staff and my understanding of how the kitchen works. . . I’m glad that I was given the opportunity.”

Gregory works about ten hours a week.

If you are traveling to the Fenwick, Bethany, Ocean City, or Rehoboth area this summer consider stopping by Derby Dans for some great food, a family friendly atmosphere, and lots of summer fun!