Iconic L.A. restaurant The Original Pantry serves its final meal

A century-old chapter of L.A. history could be coming to a close, as The Original Pantry, which first opened in 1924, served what may have been its final meal on Sunday.

Many people gathered outside the restaurant waiting for it to open so they could have one last breakfast, including the beloved sourdough bread, steak and eggs and pancakes, at the iconic spot. The first in line said they arrived around 4 a.m., three hours before the restaurant opened.

"It's gonna be a hard pill to swallow," said Nancy Vargas, who was one of many waiting in line. She was with her father, who had been frequenting the location since 1963. 

Robert Louis Sihler, one longtime restaurant goer, shared what he thought should happen. 

"It just seems like an impossible situation. We need Elon Musk. We need someone who has a lot of money who says, 'I don't care. Another $100 million? No big deal to keep it the same because you can't buy this icon,'" Sihler said.

The Original Pantry is owned by the estate of former Mayor Richard Riordan. The estate claims the restaurant was never profitable and served as a passion project for Riordan during his life. They now say the priority must shift to their charitable mission, making the sale of the property necessary. In a statement provided to CBS earlier this week, the estate said:

"Per the Mayor's expressed wishes and legal requirements, the estate must maximize the value received by his estate's largest beneficiary, The Riordan Foundation. The trustees of the Mayor's estate have determined that closing The Pantry and selling the property upon which it is located is the best path to provide the Foundation with the most financial resources to continue its wonderful charitable mission."

Last year, the current owners informed the union, Unite Here Local 11, that a potential sale of the restaurant would likely result in its closure. Protests have been held outside the restaurant all week. The union states that many of the employees have worked there for decades and are urging the owners to safeguard their jobs, even if the restaurant is sold.

"This morning when I wake up, I sit on my bed and I'm thinking, 'I have to enjoy this day, because it's my last day for serving all these people," said Alex Ortiz, one of the restaurant's servers.

The restaurant, which was typically open 24/7 and was a staple for both locals and visitors, closed its doors at 5 p.m. Despite this, some employees staged a temporary protest inside of the restaurant. 

They could be seen hours after the restaurant officially closed, sitting in booths and talking with one another. They said their decision came after the executor of Riordan's trust showed up to provide them with their final checks, which they deemed disrespectful. It's unclear how long they planned to remain inside, but they said it would be until police arrived to escort them. 

Across the street, dozens of protesters could be seen as they denounced the closing. 

"They're firing people who have dedicated their lives to this restaurant, to this city," said Unite Here Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen at the protest. "Forty-five years in a restaurant and they end up calling the cops."

He was arrested at the demonstration before he was cited and released.