It's been about seven months since a small, private plane crashed into McCall's Barbecue and Seafood in Clayton, killing the pilot.

The restaurant opens for business Wednesday, but Tuesday night the owners showed their appreciation to those who first responded to the scene by offering them a thank-you meal.

"Nobody really appreciates them until you need them," said co-owner Worth Westbrook. "We know, because we needed 'them They've been there for us and we really did appreciate them.

After the plane crash, the building was so badly damaged that McCall's was out of business for eight months; but it's employees were never out in the cold.

"We kept our fulltime employees on the payroll," said co-owner Randy McCall. "It's a lot easier to start up with old employees than it is to start with a new group."

Waitress Audrey Johnson was one of those employees. She's been with McCall's for four years.

"They took care of us," she said /. "A lot of people wouldn't do that. We're grateful they did it, they didn't have to They could have said go on down the road.

Although Tuesday's meal was intended for the first responders, many of them never got a chance to properly enjoy it.

No sooner did Clayton's fire chief begin welcoming everyone to the thank you dinner, than his men started leaving on emergency calls to deal with car wrecks and a structure fire.

"That's the job," said Clayton fire chief Lee Barbee. "Hopefully they won't be gone long and they'll come back and have a meal. If not, they'll have to come back later on in the week," he said.

It cost about $2.6 million to repair the restaurant, and it shows, according to co-owner Worth Westbrook. The menu will remain the same, but diners will notice several changes to the eatery. It now includes 10 large-screen plasma televisions and new dining furniture and food bars.

"There's a lot of excitement, but there is a lot of relief, too," Westbrook said. "For us to finally get back to life as normal, as we know how to do. So like I said, we're just happy that that part is over and just happy to start back on what we know how to do."

McCall's will open for lunch Wednesday at 11 a.m.