The demise of the American diner...:

[policerevolvercollector]

It seems that the era of having an eatery where the home cooking reminded you of just that... home and everyone knew your name is fast fading. I had a couple of these places and sadly they are both gone now. The first was a family owned diner that had the best corned beef hash omelette you could ever imagine and the staff took pride in greeting you by your first name as you entered. It is gone and I miss it already.

The other diner was an Atlanta institution since 1929. Southern home cooking 24/7. A true "greasy spoon" if there ever was one , it has been bought out by a young couple who cater to the midtown yuppie crowd instead of taxi drivers, delivery drivers .... and yes .... police (like me)...etc. No more homemade pies and coffee that you could stand a spoon up in at 3am.....

They actually serve granola and fresh fruit now!

Best,
Charles

 

[Hillbilly77]

....A true "greasy spoon" if there ever was one , it has been bought out by a young couple who cater to the midtown yuppie crowd instead of taxi drivers, delivery drivers .... and yes .... police (like me)...etc. No more homemade pies and coffee that you could stand a spoon up in at 3am.....

They actually serve granola and fresh fruit now!

Isn't there something you can charge them with for that?

 

[BigBill]

Less and less greaser spoons, no more cheeseburger deluxe too. No western omlets. You can't beat the castiron grill for flavor.

The place we look for is where the truckers eat.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Mickey's Dining Car is still there. The seedy neighborhood it used to inhabit on the fringe of downtown St. Paul has been pretty much urban-redeveloped out of existence, although there is still a homeless shelter a couple of blocks away.

It is a tourist attraction now, on the Historic Register, but the food is still the same. My favorite breakfast order was a couple of poached eggs, an English muffin, and a bowl of navy bean soup. I don't get in there too much any more, since I moved to the exurbs.

 

[FPrice]

There was a place in Western Mass (Hadley) called the Route 9 Diner which was a pretty good version of the old time diner, except it was about as big as two or three of the classic diners. But still good, fast service, pretty good food, large portions, very reasonable prices.

Unfortunately they had a problem with some of the cook staff (?) sexually harassing the waitresses and ended up closing.

About a year or so later a family who owned several up-scale restaurants bought the property and re-opened it as Johnny's Roadside Diner. The old atmosphere is still kinda there but the menu is smaller, no more discounts of any kind, food is still good. Prices are about the same as the average restaurant which is to say higher than the average diner.

We still go but it's not the same.

 

[rburg]

Wake up, times have changed. If you want a place that you are familiar in, you've got to patronize it regularly. That means at least once a week. If you don't, it'll eventually go out of business. They aren't the cause, you are.

 

[linde]

Wake up, times have changed. If you want a place that you are familiar in, you've got to patronize it regularly. That means at least once a week. If you don't, it'll eventually go out of business. They aren't the cause, you are.

Our patronage is important, but not always the reason these places go out of business. Many such diners are family owned and operated but the younger generation simply doesn't want to work that hard to continue the tradition.

We went to one such place Friday evening for supper . . . could hardly get in the place but well worth the wait. The business is for sale due to health issues of the aging founding generation. If they don't find a buyer by June, they will be forced to close the doors. What a shame to waste forty years of building a very successful business with still loyal customers.

Russ

 

[RSBH44]

Thankfully we still have a couple in my area but they are fast becoming a dying breed. I agree the younger generation doesn't seem to want to work as hard. The ones that do are changing the menu to appeal to a wider range of customers. I guess I can't blame them for that. The restaurant business isn't what it used to be.

 

[policerevolvercollector]

Our patronage is important, but not always the reason these places go out of business. Many such diners are family owned and operated but the younger generation simply doesn't want to work that hard to continue the tradition.

We went to one such place Friday evening for supper . . . could hardly get in the place but well worth the wait. The business is for sale due to health issues of the aging founding generation. If they don't find a buyer by June, they will be forced to close the doors. What a shame to waste forty years of building a very successful business with still loyal customers.

Russ

Exactly!! This is what happened to the 1st place I mentioned.

 

[Welder1]

There was a place in Western Mass (Hadley) called the Route 9 Diner which was a pretty good version of the old time diner, except it was about as big as two or three of the classic diners. But still good, fast service, pretty good food, large portions, very reasonable prices.

Unfortunately they had a problem with some of the cook staff (?) sexually harassing the waitresses and ended up closing.

About a year or so later a family who owned several up-scale restaurants bought the property and re-opened it as Johnny's Roadside Diner. The old atmosphere is still kinda there but the menu is smaller, no more discounts of any kind, food is still good. Prices are about the same as the average restaurant which is to say higher than the average diner.

We still go but it's not the same.

If you liked the Route 9 diner try the Blue Bonnet in Northampton. Same as I remember from 25 years ago.

 

[Ozark Marine]

Casper's in Springfield MO.
In a old Quonset hut, so you old grunts know the kitchen is tiny.
Bugers smashed, great chili and old fashion hand made shakes.
Counter and tables.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I have also noticed the demise of the diners.
Everywhere you go, There just aren't as many as there used to be.
Here in Albuquerque we have a few left.
One popular local chain is Weck's.
I think they have 7 places, breakfast and lunch only.
I ate at one last week, had the chicken Green Chile Stew.
I hope you can get green Chile Stew that good where you live!

Menu - Weck's

 

[rburg]

45 years ago I had an instructor in college. He was a business administration guy, and one of his case studies was his family business. It was a deli and had been started by his grandfather. The instructor was working on his PHD. He readily admitted he had no interest in taking over the business. Nor did any of his siblings or cousins. They all went to college and didn't want to go to work about 0500 to get everything ready for the lunch crowd. And working till 1900 wasn't very exciting. Even if the place provided the income to send the sorry lot of them to school. Back in the day, it was a prime lunch place for the courthouse crowd.

So the business plan was for the old man to work himself nearly to death to build the business. The next generation very reluctantly took over to keep it running. and the young generation wanted nothing to do with hard work.

I've read that 4 out of 5 new restaurants fail in the first 2 years. But established firms fail because there are no buyers.

 

[JohnRippert]

There was a little family owned joint in Lexington, TX back in the 90's. It was our Saturday night meal on the weekends we spent out at the ranch my room mate's grandfather owned. It had the best country fried steak I ever had. Quite different than chicken fried steak. There was also all-you-can-eat popcorn shrimp and stuffed crab. And in those days I could still chow.

 

[Old TexMex]

I went to Wooster (sp)Mass some years ago. There I saw my first real diner. It was called "Alice and the Hat". It was smashed apparently when a big brick building fell on it. ( one of the members here filled me in). The Other was Georges Coney Island Dogs.

Happily, we still have three good café/ diners in my home town (of 3500)
but none are 24 hrs.

There's still a few in Corpus Christi. Two are genuine "Cop diners".

 

[Qc Pistolero]

They are getting fewer and fewer.Fast food where everything taste the same generic thing killed them all.Guess I've retired at the right time.
Qc

 

[Cyrano]

I have also noticed the demise of the diners.
Everywhere you go, There just aren't as many as there used to be.
Here in Albuquerque we have a few left.
One popular local chain is Weck's.
I think they have 7 places, breakfast and lunch only.
I ate at one last week, had the chicken Green Chile Stew.
I hope you can get green Chile Stew that good where you live!

Menu - Weck's

I'll be up there for the March show. Hope there's a Wecks nearby, but I usually patronize The Owl.

 

[Mexican Kerry]

When I drove to Windsor (Ontario) to pick up my new to me 55 Chevy, it was shorter to drive through the States and up through Detroit. My buddy and I stopped on our way back at a "50's" diner in Wisconsin? because it looked cool/retro/vintage. Aluminum Airstream type diner with lots of vinyl on the walls and Elvis/Marilyn paraphernalia.

Our waitress was completely enamored with the car on the trailer and actually asked if she could hop in and come with us wherever we were going because she said her life sucked and wanted a fresh start in a nice place.

We told her we were from western Canada and she would probably be disappointed with her destination if she was trying to escape the cold. We actually couldn't enjoy our meal because she kept pestering us to let her come with. She stood at the door of the truck when we were leaving, we had to shoo her away.

This is a true story and it reminded me of 2 Lane Blacktop when the girl invites herself along for the ride (if any of you remember that film).

Sorry, the topic of diners jogged my memory and I thought I'd post even if it wasn't adding anything relevant.

As an aside, she was a really cute redhead, but I'm a very lucky married man. That fact was a major factor in telling her she couldn't come with us.

 

[Irn-Bru]

Very hard to find the old diners wnd greasy spoons. If anyone is ever in Grand Rapids MI check out my two favorite places. Yesterdog and Choo Choo Grill. You can thank me after you eat

 

[erics]

I am a fan of the "Diners, drive-ins and dives" show more for the food than the host. I gain weight just being a viewer. I think there is a large number of diner fans since many of the featured places become difficult to get in to after their "moment of fame".