Lance Traylor is from Arkansas, a state he said has a reputation for being resistant to part from its Southern cuisine staples. Traylor, a military veteran, said he has always found food interesting, but getting into the industry didn’t seem like something that was in the cards for him.

What he describes as luck and strong family ties led him to opening his second restaurant in Summit County in late March 2025, Dillon Thai. He opened Summit Thai in Frisco in April 2023.

Dillon Thai is proving to be his dream job. He gets to run it with his in-laws, and the best part is one of his favorite chefs curates the menu and runs the kitchen — his wife, Naphaphon (Pu) Traylor. The pair teamed up with Noppacha (Tony) Mahapheeraphorn and his wife Nam Mahapheeraphorn with the goal of providing authentic Thai food to Dillon. 

The restaurant industry brought everyone together just before 2018. Traylor had just gotten out of the U.S. Air Force after serving for six years and was looking for a meaningful career in Seattle. He found one in one of the oldest Thai restaurants in the city, Bahn Thai, owned by Tony. There he met Tony’s cousin, Pu. Tony showed him the ropes of the industry, and he developed a love for it. 

As it did for many, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in Lance’s career path. He was in Central Thailand meeting Pu’s family when the pandemic cause shutdowns around the world. This brought the couple back to Arkansas to a job market that had no openings. 

“We knew we had to do something … so we just took all of our savings and started a food truck,” he said. 

They then formed a partnership with a cousin of Tony’s, which is how they landed in Summit County. While this partnership was blossoming, Tony was looking to get out of Seattle. He found himself in a similar mindset to the one Lance was in coming out of the military and not having a set plan for next steps. 

Lance said Tony has done nothing but “give and give and give” to him and Pu, and they thought it was time to give back. So, they started looking for open storefronts in Summit County to house a Thai restaurant they could all operate together. Lance opened Summit Thai and then decided to take a chance in Dillon. Noodles and Co. moved out of a spot in Dillon in January, and it became Dillon Thai by March.

The group running Dillon Thai said the family is steeped in Thai culture. It’s even evident in food, where family-style sharing is the norm as opposed to people having individual dishes. 

Nam and Pu said people can control the spice levers on their menu, which features mostly traditional, street-style food like the type of noodle soups they would find back home in small, family-owned diners. One of their favorites on the menu is papaya salad. 

Classic dishes, like pad Thai, and desserts like mango sticky rice can be found on Dillon Thai’s menu. They have an array of curries, fried rice and stir fries. Lance said he is currently in the process of acquiring a liquor license, too. 

Dillon Thai’s lunch menu items are $16.50, and appetizers range from $9.50 to $16.50. Salads range from $14.99 to $15.99, and soups are $13.99. Entrees like fried rice, stir-fry and noodles range from $14.99 to $17.99. 

Dillon Thai is located at 265 Dillon Ridge Road. It is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and then from 4-9 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, it is open from noon to 3 p.m., and then from 4-9 p.m.

For more information, visit DillonCoThai.com.