The Queen moves its guard even further eastbound—as DQ finally comes to Mastic-Shirley this month after much anticipation. This marks the fifth total location for the fast food franchise in Suffolk County, and the first for Old Montauk Highway.
“We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of Dairy Queen of Mastic-Shirley, and we would be honored to have you join us for this special occasion,” the location’s owners shared in a statement. “Your presence and support would mean the world as we embark on this exciting new journey.”
Festivities will transpire from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1145 Old Montauk Highway on Wednesday, October 30th. Regulars-to-be are encouraged to drop by the "grill and chill" to order their first of many burgers, chicken baskets or “Blizzard” delights in the comfortable confines of their own backyard.
It may be Halloween-time, but kids who have developed a penchant for the alternative to the McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King triumvirate need not fret nor be frightened over the new day that has dawned. The in-town survey says: c’est la vie to the days where the whole family must cram into the not-so-minivan to seek out their beloved queen in Medford, East Northport, St. James, even so far as Massapequa, and so forth.
The party fodder may wrap as evening commences, but the restaurant itself will not close until midnight on Wednesday, and in general.
Even for an established chain, opening a restaurant is no short order, nor a small feat—let alone doing so after a global shutdown and a fatal blow to the family fold.
“In a nutshell, we were approved for the Dairy Queen in 2020,” co-owner Sonny Banthija told The South Shore Press.
He notes the family has been local for 25 years worth of running successful Dunkin Donuts, Baskin’ Robbins, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and Roy Rooster’s storefronts in and around the area.
“Due to COVID, we were unable to obtain permitting,” he says, adding that a change in leadership, coupled with the woes of inflation and the "start-stop, start and stop" of labor and completion of the restaurant, hurt them deeply.
What hurt the Banthija’s the most, however, was when tragedy struck a week and a half before Christmas nearly two years ago.
On the night of December 14, 2022, 32-year-old Tanya Banthija—Sonny’s sister—and her dog died in a fire at her Dix Hills home.
Tanya’s cottage was located behind her parents’ residence. Father Ben and his wife tried to get their daughter out of the fiery blaze, to no avail. Patrol officers and a sergeant responded to the call at 2:53 a.m., and were just as unsuccessful.
The flames were too strong for anyone to enter, per reports. Sixty firefighters and rescue workers were eventually required to put out the fire via an “aggressive" counter-attack, according to the Dix Hills Fire Department.
Tanya’s funeral was held at Moloney’s Funeral Home of Lake Ronkonkoma the following week. Her family formed “TIB Foundation NY” in honor of their fallen daughter sometime later.
As read on TibFoundationNY.org, the non-profit strives to "continue Tanya's vision and commitment to ‘making a difference’ by supporting the underprivileged through charitable projects, raising awareness through educational programs, empowering women, and promoting cultural and social values.”
Its broader mission is to:
Spread positivity and joy
Support community development
Encourage emotional intelligence and empathy
Celebrate life’s beauty
A member of the Bellport, Blue Point, Patchogue and Mastic-Shirley Chambers of Commerce, the Boys and Girls Club and Long Island Headstart, Tanya was also the director of Sunrise Day Camp—bringing the simplest pleasures to children battling cancer.
Her early talents were exercised through Kathak classical Indian dance, Asami Hindu Temple, and beauty pageant competitions. The Banthija family says that through the latter, Tanya “showed young women and young girls that there is no perfect beauty, and that beauty comes within.”
As an adult, Tanya utilized these unique experiences from her upbringing to pursue business ventures with equal passion. After earning an M.B.A. in finance and accounting, she helped usher her family further into the modern-day wave of restauranteering.
By her untimely passing at the age of 32, Tanya had successfully opened Dunkin’ Donuts stores in Center Moriches, Sayville, Lindenhurst, Blue Point and Bellport.
County officials and Brookhaven leaders like Legislators Dominick Thorne and Jim Mazzarella, Town Supervisor Dan Panico, and Councilman Michael Loguercio, amongst others, gathered to dedicate Michigan Ave in Bellport—appropriately renamed “Tanya Indrani Bathija Avenue—in her memory on May 23, 2024.
Brookhaven Town Councilman Loguercio, who partnered with Tanya to turn a blighted building into a beautiful "Dunkin" on this road, spoke fondly of the late entrepreneur at her memorial ceremony.
"Tanya is missed terribly, and her life is celebrated through the many businesses and ongoing foundation work that still carries on today,” said Loguercio.
“I am proud to have known her and will always be inspired by her light, generosity, and her incredible passion for always helping a fellow human being," he continued. "Her father Ben and her family are amazing and generous people, who unfortunately lost their daughter tragically. We wish them all peace and comfort and know that she is looking down on us all and her legacy will live on forever."
Following in Tanya's footsteps, and how she led her short but quite impactful life, the Banthija's vow to power forward; this is no easy hill to climb, of course, but neither is going all in, and full tilt on opening not just one business, but dozens.
“Her legacy,” says Sonny, “we will carry on.”
Meet you at DQ next Wednesday—where “Happy Tastes Good,” and on this occasion, just as bittersweet; for when togetherness is borne from devastation, it certainly can be a beautiful thing.
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