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The original Magleby's Restaurant was started by David "Doc" Parkinson, a retired dentist with a passion for life. Doc's friends and family describe him as outgoing, generous, funny, and spontaneous. For over twenty years, Doc has been greeting Magleby's customers at the door with world-famous bread sticks and a warm welcome. Doc and his wife Lenora have been married for almost 50 years. Lenora's wonderful dessert recipes have made Magleby's spread of homemade desserts legendary.
Doc is an avid motorcyclist who has put about 400,000 miles on his three Honda CX500 motorcycles - that's about 16 times around the world. Doc's unconventional rules of the road include never riding at night, never eating indoors, and never sleeping in a motel.
"I know every paved road and every mountain pass in the five states that surround Utah," said Doc. "There's so much I want to see. I just ride, ride, ride. I might want to go 600 miles a day when other riders want to go 250 to 300, then go to a nice motel. I'd rather just throw a sleeping bag on the ground, so I can ride from sunup to sundown."
Doc's son Richard manages Magleby's newest concept, Magleby's Grill and Oyster Bar, which opened in early October 2004 in Provo's Shops at Riverwoods. 
Richard said his dad has always been a little bit nuts. "One time when I was about 12 years old, my dad and I tried to play as many holes of golf in one day as we could," Richard said. "We ended up doing 127 holes that day."
Pushing the limits and achieving excellence have been hallmarks of Doc's life - not only in physical, but also in spiritual ways. When Doc's granddaughter, Holly, played tennis for BYU, Doc was known to write the letters "WWCD" with a black marker on the hands of Holly and her teammates. The letters stand for "What Would Christ Do."
Doc believes that in life's sweetest victories as well as in life's most hollow defeats, you've got to always have your priorities in line. Still, he was always willing to sweeten the deal for Holly and her teammates at BYU tennis matches. "If you gals win, there's free desserts afterwards at Magleby's."
Magleby's Grill and Oyster Bar is built upon a reputation of friendly, attentive service that leaves guests anxious to come again. The interior of the restaurant is adorned with a modern, but warmer style. Original works of art, focusing on Western landscapes and sculpture, are featured in the waiting area which is situated right in front of an open kitchen space. Magleby's cuisine of mainstream favorites has just enough variation to satisfy most palates.
Though Magleby's Grill has a 275-person capacity, many of the tables are tucked away in beautiful nooks and corners to create a private and personal dining experience. Magleby's is an ideal setting for the power lunch (where the deal always get signed), for sweethearts on the night of their engagement, or for daughters who want to treat their mothers to a special night of fine dining.
The warm bread sticks Magleby's serves guests before and during meals have made the restaurant famous worldwide. Magleby's signature bread sticks are laced with garlic and butter and are barely crunchy with a salty Parmesan sprinkling. Doc has been solicited for bread
sticks in West Yellowstone, Las Vegas, California, and England.
Another Magleby's trademark is to give each customer an after-meal truffle from Kara chocolates. Over the past 20 years, Magleby's has given away close to a million truffles by Kara's count. Doc's granddaughter Holly said once when she and Doc went out to lunch at a fast food restaurant, he went from table to table handing out truffles. "He always carries two big boxes of truffles in his car," Holly said.
Magleby's Grill has three banquet rooms with the ability to seat 30, 50, and 100 people. Whether you're planning a business luncheon, a wedding brunch, or any other type of gathering, Magleby's comfortable ambiance and great food are sure to make your group dining experience a success. Please call 374-6249 for more information about banquet dining.
If you are looking for a caterer to handle an upcoming special occasion, look no further. Magleby's Grill has the ability to cater to any group between six and 600 people. Magleby's flexible catering program lets you customize the meal to fit your budget and to personalize your event. With two large kitchens as a base for catering operations, Magleby's can get creative in meeting and exceeding your catering expectations. Please call 374-6249 for more information about Magleby's catering program.
Doc's son Richard and his partner, Ken Palmer, opened the first Magleby's Fresh on January 1, 1999 to fill the void that exists between formal restaurants and fast food places. Magleby's Fresh is the perfect solution for on-the-go moms and dads who don't have time to sit down, but who want to feed their families something healthier than traditional fast food.
Magleby's Fresh serves salads, sandwiches, Lenora's famous desserts, and favorite menu items from Magleby's. Most portions at Magleby's Fresh are slightly smaller than at Magleby's and cost about half the price. Whether you sit down in the quaint but contemporary dining area or take your food on the road, Magleby's Fresh will give you the pleasure of fine dining and the convenience of fast food.
A second Magleby's Fresh opened in Spanish Fork in May 2002. The third Magleby's Fresh store opened in February 2003.
Magleby's Fresh opened a Dessert Parlor attached to the Provo Fresh at 3362 North University Avenue in September 2004. The Dessert Parlor adds ice cream products to the growing menu of Lenora's scrumptious desserts.