Sometimes a friendly hello makes all the difference. At Frank’s, the motto over the door reads “”Don’t Worry, Be Happy,”” and the atmosphere echoes that attitude.

Mood affects your dining experience more than you may think. I won’t deny that on a chilly Wednesday morning, decked out in a safe ensemble of cap and sweats, all I can really think about is my Thursday final.

Less than five minutes after I walk into Frank’s, I’ve not only ordered, but I’ve already received my food and check. This actually perks me up because my eat-and-run plan is working out quite nicely.

To my surprise, a fellow customer interrupts my diligent counting of change to ask me about the juvenile delinquency textbook I intended to read while waiting.

Many questions and answers later, we’ve chatted about our goals and accomplishments and a slew of other inspiring topics. But the point is, she squashed my eat-and-run plan and put a real smile on my face. Good people make a good restaurant great.

When I finally sat down at home with my takeout food, it was like I was actually dining at Frank’s. I remembered the tender words of that woman as I devoured my huevos rancheros with home fries.

The well-rounded food wasn’t marred by glaring mistakes like overcooking or too much of one ingredient. The corn tortilla underneath the pile of cheddar cheese, salsa, scrambled eggs and refried beans was fresh. You can’t get this with a taco shell or flour tortilla, or even most store-bought corn tortillas.

The sweetness of the beans and the tortilla offset the saltier eggs and cheddar cheese. All in all, not one taste was so strong that it ruined the balance of this dish.

Frank’s breakfast menu includes more than 40 different entrees, including regional favorites like minced Sonoran hot dogs and scrambled eggs, while not excluding breakfast staples such as pancakes, biscuits and omelettes. Be sure to come before 9 a.m. to enjoy the two eggs, home fries/hash browns and a biscuit/tortilla/slice of toast for $1.50 plus tax.

If cold mornings aren’t appealing, try Frank’s after 5 p.m., when it becomes Francisco’s. The dinner menu also showcases a large spread of regional entrees. One quiet Monday evening, I enjoyed theenchiladas with cheese and flautas, Michoacan style with chicken. Michoacan style means these enchiladas are not the usual rolled and filled type. Instead, they are folded over with cheese and anything else, like a meat choice, is put on top. The dish comes with beans, rice and grilled vegetables for $6.75.

Even though the waiter told me the cheese was fresh, I could taste it immediately inside my enchiladas. It had an inviting sweetness.

And for those eat-and-runners who are reading this thinking “”What is this sentimental sap?”” remember that if not for a welcome conversation, I would have been in and out in less than five minutes for less than $10.