The drive down N.C. Highway 87 from Elon to Ossipee seems long, but it’s only a few miles. The scenery is a blur of fields and ranch houses, with three stoplights between campus and an unassuming white building on the right side of the road: Morazi’s Pizza and International Grill, owned and operated by Max and Terry Akhlaghi, which has been in business for more than 30 years.
Inside, a few booths and tables occupy the space, along with an extensive model car collection.
Max Akhlaghi brings a plate of homemade chips and dip to the table and launches into lively conversation about history, passions and, of course, food.
“If you’re running a mom-and-pop for 30 years, you have to be doing something right,” Akhlaghi said. His voice echoes in the small restaurant as he greets his customers by name and engages in conversation.
Akhlaghi, originally from Iran, came to the United States on Sept. 7, 1978. In Iran, he was always around the kitchen and developed a love for cooking. He recalls with fondness childhood days in the family garden.
“We would can everything,” he said. “We never bought tomato paste — my mother made it. We never bought lemon juice — my mother made it.”
When he arrived in the United States, his love of cooking pushed him to seek work in the food industry. He began in St. Petersburg, Florida, as a dishwasher and moved his way up to a cook.
“If you work in a restaurant, you are never hungry,” he said. “I like eating, so I liked learning to cook.”
From Florida, Akhlaghi moved to Norfolk, Virginia, to obtain a degree in electronics technology from Norfolk State University. His degree brought him to Los Angeles, where he worked assembling keyboards and computer parts for companies such as Graham and Apple.
It was while working in California that he met his wife, Terry.
“She was the prettiest girl there,” he said. “We started eating lunch together, and now we’ve been married 30 years.”
The couple has five sons, with one in the Air Force and two others studying at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Appalachian State University.
“I wanted to get rich,” Akhlaghi said. “But we’ve got five sons — college-educated, self-starters — and very positive [to be around]. I am very proud. That’s why I work so hard.”
Akhlaghi has also made personal connections with the patrons.
“When you walk in here, I don’t see a dollar sign,” he said. “I see a friend. My customers are my best friends.”
As for the food, it’s a hit.
Morazi’s offers an extremely extensive menu — including pizza, pasta, salads, subs, Greek specialties, Mexican choices and burgers — at affordable prices. Most meals total $6-10.
“I don’t usually like any of the meats on [the meatlovers] pizza,” said sophomore Lexie Nixon. “But I really like this pizza.”
Akhlaghi remembers Elon students who used to come into his restaurant and fill the tables. Akhlaghi worked for Elon for 4.5 years before a back injury made it impossible for him to continue working there.
But while working at the university, he had a good experience. What he misses from working at Elon is the interactions with the students. He doesn’t get many Elon students, but he wants that to change.
“I lost my connection [with students] when I left,” he said. “There is so much [food] on campus, and this is too far away.”
But Morazi’s is only four miles from campus, and students are known to travel much farther distances to Greensboro and Raleigh for lunch. The restaurant is located at 2085 North N.C. Highway 87 and is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
To get more customers, Morazi’s offers a 15 percent discount for first-time visitors, and if students pay with Phoenix Cash, they get an automatic 10 percent discount.
Customer service is of the utmost importance at Morazi’s. Not only does Akhlaghi know every recipe and how many slices of cheese to put on the subs, but he goes out of his way to make sure his customers are satisfied by ensuring that each burger is char-grilled to his high standards or cooking custom orders.
“I could cook anything you want,” Akhlaghi said. “We don’t have chicken ranch wrap on the menu, but if you wanted it, I can make it.”
The menu is influenced from his own Persian heritage and his wife’s Spanish heritage. The mix of cultures in the Akhlaghi family makes it easy for them to serve a variety of cultures of food. But Akhlaghi’s standards are always high.
“If I don’t like it,” he said, “I won’t serve it.”