Waterloo Diner Owner Wins Big With Iowa Lottery Game

A local business owner is celebrating the holidays with a massive lottery prize this year.

Carpenter's Diner in Waterloo closed its doors for the final time in 2012, according to an article from the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier.

The restaurant closed after the death of one of the owners, John Carpenter. They were in business for nearly 37 years. However, at the beginning of July 2022 the Facebook page started to become active again.

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Carpenter's Diner Opens A Decade After Closure

Carpenters used to be located across from the police station in Waterloo and is now be across the street from Basal Pizza in the old Subway.

Located at 518 Jefferson Street in Waterloo, Carpenter's reopened for business in October of 2023.

The new owner of the diner, Matthew Carpenter, has been riding a high since he reopened his late father's restaurant. Now, he's celebrating for a different reason...

He just won with the Iowa Lottery!

In a press release from the Iowa Lottery, Carpenter purchased a ticket at the Casey's location at 51 E. Tower Park Drive in Waterloo. This business owner played a "scratchless" Extreme Green Progressive InstaPlay game and won the jackpot prize.

Matthew Carpenter is $36,512 richer after he went to go pick up the lottery prize on Monday, December 9th at the lottery's Cedar Rapids office.

For more information about past lottery winners or other games you can play, make sure to check out the official Iowa Lottery website here.

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