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PORT NECHES — At any given time during the day, one can walk into Pizza Inn in Port Neches and find the owner, Donny Broussard, talking with customers as he has done for decades.

Broussard, 87, has made the eatery a mainstay in Mid County since 1968. He is in remission from lung cancer and uses a cane to help get around. While he said he doesn’t move as well as he once did, he loves coming in to visit with members of the community.

“We have great people,” Broussard said. “I have to have something to do. I can come in here every day and stay with my customers… That helps.”

At one time, Broussard owned eight Pizza Inns in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.

Broussard said the Port Neches location has survived because of the community.

Scott Burgess, who is the general manager and Broussard’s right-hand man, handles the day-to-day operations, allowing the owner to do what he does best — mingle.

Burgess said Broussard is the heartbeat of the business.

“This guy knows everyone,” Burgess said. “This is what drives our customers. Every time I turn around, if he is not here, at least 100 times a day I hear someone ask how Mr. Broussard is doing. He has been around for so many years. I have seen people come in here that are 50 years old, who talked about working here in high school. They still know him.”

Burgess said the business keep Broussard going.

“He gets to get out for a few hours and looks forward to it,” Burgess said.

The buffet-styled pizza joint took a hit during the pandemic but is starting to rebound, Burgess said, with regular customers returning.

“It was up and down,” he said. “We were really fortunate to make it through it all.”

The eatery’s breakfast pizza also has made a recent return.

“We try to open at 6:30 a.m. and we do it all day long,” Burgess said. “That is not something a lot of places do. We use real eggs. We scramble up three eggs per large. You can have a bacon, a sausage and we have boudin. A lot of people question it but I tell them ‘don’t not knock it until you try it.’ That is not part of the buffet. You have to order it.”

Burgess said he constantly learns from Broussard.

“Every single thing I know is from him,” he said. “He told me a really important thing a long time ago. He said, ‘If you take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves.’ That is a true statement. That has stuck with me.”

Pizza Inn also offers delivery and takeout options.

The restaurant is located at 1501 Magnolia Avenue. Call 409-722-4600.