F.A.R.M. Cafe held its grand opening on Saturday, celebrating its first month and a half of operation and looking forward to things to come.

The restaurant, which stands for "Feed All Regardless of Means," opened this spring in Boone Drug on King Street, taking the place of the drug store's longstanding grill.

At F.A.R.M. Cafe, patrons pay what they can. Diners who are not able to pay the suggested donation can volunteer in exchange for a meal. The cafe has only three staff members " the rest of the work is performed by volunteers.

The restaurant has been open since May 1, but executive chef Renee Boughman said the staff wanted to get settled before holding an official grand opening.

"There's always surprises in the restaurant business," she said. "I can honestly say the best surprises here have been positive surprises."

The grand opening menu consisted of crab cakes, grilled balsamic chicken, herbed summer squash, mixed green salad and more, along with four dessert options.

"I like to come here and eat lunch because they have a different dish each day," said Dale Presnell, vice president of Boone Drug, who dined Saturday with Boone Drug manager Scotty Prevost. "It's like getting a meal in a high-dollar restaurant for a reasonable price."

While F.A.R.M. Cafe is a relative newcomer to the downtown Boone scene, Saturday's opening showed it already has a group of loyal customers.

"I'm very attached to F.A.R.M.," said Lynn Gregory. "It's a wonderful place."