Few locations are as distinctly American as the diner. These humble establishments have provided coffee and a hot meal to many generations all across the country. From all-night delis in New York City to stops along lonely stretches of Midwestern highways to converted railroad cars around the country, diners are classic Americana. (They figure large in our list of America’s greatest roadside restaurants.)
Diners have often been immortalized in American art and entertainment, too – as in the iconic 1942 Edward Hopper painting “Nighthawks;” in Edward Kienholz’s walk-in 1965 art work “Barney’s Beanery;” in Monk’s Café (the real-life Tom’s Restaurant), the famous diner where Jerry and his buddies gathered on “Seinfeld;” and in countless classic films (including memorable scenes in “Grease” and “Five Easy Pieces,” among many others, and in Barry Levinson’s 1982 film actually called “Diner”).
24/7 Tempo reviewed pictures in the Library of Congress to compile an assortment of vintage photos of diners through the years, ranging from about 1935 through 1968. The results dot the map from the East Coast to the Southwest and everywhere in between. (Here’s the best diner in every state.)
Click here to see vintage photos of diner through the years
The years the photos were taken are approximate in many cases, but that’s part of the point. Diners are timeless, and universal (at least within the U.S.)
A restaurant cook in Mogollon, New Mexico
> Circa: 1940
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A restaurant worker arranges a menu board in Paterson, New Jersey
> Circa: 1994
Two Girls Waffle House, Anchorage, Alaska
> Circa: 1910
K & J Dairy in Detroit, Michigan
> Circa: 1986
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A sidewalk restaurant counter, New York City, New York
> Circa: 1953
Twistee Treat Ice Cream Stand, Saint Joseph, Missouri
> Circa: 1996
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The Parkette, Lexington, Kentucky
> Circa: 2020
Nan Denton’s Drive-in, Knoxville, Tennessee
> Circa: 1979
Zorba’s Greek restaurant, Missoula, Montana
> Circa: 1979
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Mel’s, Grandy, North Carolina
> Circa: 2017
The Snow Cap diner, near Seligman along the historic highway in Arizona
> Circa: 2016
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A chef in a North Beach Italian restaurant, San Francisco, California.
> Circa: 1941
Bailey’s dairy treat stand, Hot Springs, Arkansas
> Circa: 2020
Washington Street Diner, Athens, Alabama
> Circa: 2010
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Coffee Pot Restaurant, Lexington, Virginia
> Circa: 1982
William Penn Diner on Route 40, Delaware
> Circa: 1939
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La Esquina De La Tama, Miami, Florida
> Circa: 2020
Peter Pan Diner, Danbury, Connecticut
> Circa: 1978
Happy News Cafe, Washington, DC
> Circa: 1937
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Sushi-Rama restaurant, Denver, Colorado
> Circa: 2016
Yard Restaurant on the U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu County, Hawaii
> Circa: 2001
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The Mill, Lincoln, Illinois
> Circa: 2019
The Varsity Grill, Atlanta, Georgia
> Circa: 2017
Tip Top Drive In, Lewiston, Idaho
> Circa: 2005
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Bang’s Drive-In, Chariton, Iowa
> Circa: 1980
Bert’s 50’s Diner, Mechanicsville, Maryland
> Circa: 2017
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Restaurant and market in Lowell, Massachusetts
> Circa: 1987
Diner in Clinton, Indiana
> Circa: 1940
Ko-Ko-Mo, Dine In Your Car sign, Bossier City, Louisiana
> Circa: 1979
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Sweet Creek Diner and Bakery on Route 66, Galena, Kansas
> Circa: 2021
Architectural drawing of Monowi Tavern, Monowi, Nebraska
> Circa: 2017
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Continental Family Restaurant sign, Jamestown, North Dakota
> Circa: 1987
24/7 Wall St.
The Drive In restaurant, Taylors Falls, Minnesota
> Circa: 2019
Abe’s Bar B-Q restaurant, Clarksdale, Mississippi
> Circa: 2016
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Charlie’s Diner, Leeds, Maine
> Circa: 1984
Flight G7 Restaurant, McMinnville, Oregon
> Circa: 1987
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Workers at a steel company restaurant, Youngstown Ohio
> Circa: 1941
Old Nevada abandoned restaurant
> Circa: 1995
Jade Island Chinese Restaurant, Meredith, New Hampshire
> Circa: 1984
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The Meltdown Diner, along historic U.S. Route 66, Tulsa, Oklahoma
> Circa: 2020
A barbecue place in Luckenbach, Texas
> Circa: 2014
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The Hot Dog Corner restaurant, Seneca, South Carolina
> Circa: 2017
A modern diner in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
> Circa: 1995
Melrose Diner, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
> Circa: 1995
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Chris’s Diner, Vermillion, South Dakota
> Circa: 1987
The Great Western Espresso Coffee Co., Cody, Wyoming
> Circa: 2004
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A house trailer diner, Wenatchee National Forest, Washington State
> Circa: 2018
Ross Diner, Quechee, Vermont
> Circa: 1995
Broiler Cafe, Salt Lake City, Utah
> Circa: 1980
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Kütte Swiss Restaurant, Helvetia, West Virginia
> Circa: 2015
Red Wagon Restaurant, Lake Delton, Wisconsin
> Circa: 1988
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