Obama makes Charcoal Pit stop in Del. [photos]

Diners at the Charcoal Pit restaurant on Rt. 202 in Delaware got a surprise this afternoon when President Obama joined them for lunch.

On his way from the New Castle Airport to the Port of Wilmington, Obama stopped at the burger joint near Wilmington. The restaurant has been a landmark in Delaware since it opened its doors in 1956.

Before ordering the Pit Special ― a burger cooked medium well with a side of fries ― Obama shook hands and talked to several people seated at tables. He told a group of diners enjoying milkshakes, “Me and Joe, we share shakes all the time.”

Vice President Joe Biden has made several appearances at the restaurant, including a high profile visit a few weeks before the Obama/Biden ticket won its first election in 2008. “Biden told me the burgers are pretty good,” Obama said, according to reports from the press pool.

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At one point, Obama picked up seven-month-old Jaidyn Oates and posed for a picture.

After getting his burger, he sat down to eat with Tanei Benjamin. Benjamin wrote to the President last summer and described her struggles as a single, working mother with a six year old daughter. According to the White House, after reading the letter, Obama wrote a letter to senior staff that read, “This is the person we are working for.”

After finishing his meal, Obama got back in his Secret Service motorcade en route the Port of Wilmington.

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