Old-fashioned Diner!

I bet you were simewhere in the Northeast of the US....maybe New York
or New Jersey?

I loved those diners!

Breakfast stuff: eggs, potatoes, toast, pancakes, omelettes, bacon,
oatmeal, fruit, juice, cereals, cottage cheese, blintzes 24 hours

Sandwiches, soups, hot sandwiches, salads, tuna salald egg salad
chopped liver, hot open sandwiches, monte cristos, tuna melts, club
sandwich, chef salad, green salad, soup du jour, chili, onion soup,
grilled cheese

Entrees,veggies, rolls, appetizers / munchies, gravy fries, mozzarella
sticks, italian dishes, greek food, seafood, pork chops, chicken fried
steak

Pie, cake, milkshakes, ice cream, cheesecake, boston cream pie
ok coffee, all you can dirnk, refilled frequently

Thanks for great memories!

Andy said:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back to a
Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real homestyle
cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy and fun!!!

They had a menu that was about 12 pages long! You could order just
about any food combinations under the sun and it'd be on the menu
somewhere!

How the waitresses could magically shoehorn all those plates, bowls
and glasses perfectly on each table is beyond my comprehension.

The prices were cheap while the quality was first-rate and the
portions were huge!

snippage

Quoted message said:

Andy

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,
Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We couldn't believe
the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

Jill

Andy said:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back to a
Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real homestyle
cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy and fun!!!

They had a menu that was about 12 pages long! You could order just
about any food combinations under the sun and it'd be on the menu
somewhere!

How the waitresses could magically shoehorn all those plates, bowls
and glasses perfectly on each table is beyond my comprehension.

The prices were cheap while the quality was first-rate and the
portions were huge!

snippage

Quoted message said:

Andy

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,
Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We couldn't believe
the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

Jill

jmcquown said:

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,
Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We couldn't believe
the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

I came across one of those old diners a little north of Harrisburg PA about 10
years ago. Lunch for three was just over $5 and the food was delicious. I
had the best hamburger I have ever had, and the Shoofly pie was delicious.

Dave Smith said:

jmcquown said:

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and
Memphis, Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We
couldn't believe the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this
place about 30 miles (or so) outside of Hunstville and came to a
screeching halt! Yes!

I came across one of those old diners a little north of Harrisburg PA
about 10 years ago. Lunch for three was just over $5 and the food
was delicious. I had the best hamburger I have ever had, and the
Shoofly pie was delicious.

They are truly a dying breed. As we become more and more corporate
innundated the old style mom & pop places dwindle... oh but man, if you ever
have the chance, just pull into "that place"! [Whatever that place may be!]
You look and gosh, hole in the wall? But the parking lot is always full!
These old diners on the side roads... you go in, get seated and get served
QUICK. Nope, it's not Burger King. It's a good old homestyle diner. Yep,
you can get a great burger and no one will question if you want it rare or
medium-rare as opposed to two choices: dead or deader. In fact, they still
ask, "how would you like that burger?".

These are places where even Andy's young, tattooed and DUMB (laughing)
waitresses know what's on the menu!

I told notbob this when he commented on the lack of a diner that served a
great Country Fried Steak with Gravy AND had Eggs Benedict with a good
Hollandaise on the menu... if you're ever in Highland, Illinois, USA, go to
a place called 'Buzzies (Again)'. That's what the sign says, anyway,
"Again" must be why they are in business after 60 years!

We love the place. Great food, fast and very courteous service and still
that old fashioned diner feel. Not to mention original 60 year old neon all
over the outside and a really classic building of which I neglected to get a
picture.

Jill

jmcquown said:

Andy said:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back to a
Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real homestyle
cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy and fun!!!

They had a menu that was about 12 pages long! You could order just
about any food combinations under the sun and it'd be on the menu
somewhere!

How the waitresses could magically shoehorn all those plates, bowls
and glasses perfectly on each table is beyond my comprehension.

The prices were cheap while the quality was first-rate and the
portions were huge!

snippage

Quoted message said:

Andy

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,
Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We couldn't believe
the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

Jill

Please try to remember the name. (Is it in Decatur?) My inlaws live
just east of Huntsville off of 72. I got excited when at first I
thought you were talking about between Huntsville and Chatanooga rather
than Memphis. Thanks.

Bob

"Jude" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1119634181.216543.93560
@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

I bet you were simewhere in the Northeast of the US....maybe New York
or New Jersey?

I loved those diners!

Yepper! It was called "The Mt. Kisco Diner" in Mt. Kisco, NY. A Diner
that is way off the thruways and probably passed by 1,000,000 cars
annually, but for those lucky few who took a chance, it's the best
homestyle food for miles around. Or at least it was during my spell
there. Forget the name of the street, but from the town center (in 1987),
it's past the town police station, past the movie theater, and up the
hill a couple blocks.

Andy
http://tinyurl.com/bczgr

jmcquown said:

They are truly a dying breed. As we become more and more corporate
innundated the old style mom & pop places dwindle... oh but man, if you ever
have the chance, just pull into "that place"! [Whatever that place may be!]
You look and gosh, hole in the wall? But the parking lot is always full!
These old diners on the side roads... you go in, get seated and get served
QUICK. Nope, it's not Burger King. It's a good old homestyle diner. Yep,
you can get a great burger and no one will question if you want it rare or
medium-rare as opposed to two choices: dead or deader. In fact, they still
ask, "how would you like that burger?".

I spent most of my working years on the road (locally). Early on I made the
mistake of eating in some of those franchise places but I learned to avoid them.
I much preferred those mom and pop places. The food was better, more variety,
more satisfying and they had seating that was not designed to make me leave in
15 minutes.

It was interesting to see that a lot of those places had very steady clientele.
There were places we went for breakfast where we would see a lot of the same
people day after day. At lunch it would be a different crowd of regulars.

Quoted message said:

We love the place. Great food, fast and very courteous service and still
that old fashioned diner feel. Not to mention original 60 year old neon all
over the outside and a really classic building of which I neglected to get a
picture.

In one of the local towns where I worked there was a family style restaurant
that offered incredible value. They were so popular that we had to adjust our
meal breaks to their busy hours. It opened at 11 am and if you waited until 12
you had to stand in line. Typical lunch special was soup or a very substantial
salad, meat pie with fires of mashed potatoes, a bowl of peaches and coffee for
$4.50. A frequent dinner special was soup or salad, 2 big breaded pork chops, a
huge pile of potatoes (they would substitute fries or spaghetti), a huge serving
of seasonal veggies, and coffee.... $8.95. A half order was only $6.95, and I
could never manage to eat an entire half order.

This restaurant closed every year for January and February because the owners
went to Florida for the winter. The day the re-opened each March people would be
lined up to get in. I went there about once a week for 17 years and they had
most of the same staff back every year.

Their menu was 6 full pages. There was never a problem getting (reasonable)
substitutions. As mentioned about the dinner special... mashed, fries or
spaghetti with sauce. Service was fast and courteous. Servings were enormous.

jmcquown said:

Dave Smith said:

jmcquown said:

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and
Memphis, Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We
couldn't believe the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this
place about 30 miles (or so) outside of Hunstville and came to a
screeching halt! Yes!

I came across one of those old diners a little north of Harrisburg PA
about 10 years ago. Lunch for three was just over $5 and the food
was delicious. I had the best hamburger I have ever had, and the
Shoofly pie was delicious.

They are truly a dying breed. As we become more and more corporate
innundated the old style mom & pop places dwindle... oh but man, if you ever
have the chance, just pull into "that place"! [Whatever that place may be!]
You look and gosh, hole in the wall? But the parking lot is always full!
These old diners on the side roads... you go in, get seated and get served
QUICK. Nope, it's not Burger King. It's a good old homestyle diner. Yep,
you can get a great burger and no one will question if you want it rare or
medium-rare as opposed to two choices: dead or deader. In fact, they still
ask, "how would you like that burger?".

These are places where even Andy's young, tattooed and DUMB (laughing)
waitresses know what's on the menu!

I told notbob this when he commented on the lack of a diner that served a
great Country Fried Steak with Gravy AND had Eggs Benedict with a good
Hollandaise on the menu... if you're ever in Highland, Illinois, USA, go to
a place called 'Buzzies (Again)'. That's what the sign says, anyway,
"Again" must be why they are in business after 60 years!

We love the place. Great food, fast and very courteous service and still
that old fashioned diner feel. Not to mention original 60 year old neon all
over the outside and a really classic building of which I neglected to get a
picture.

Jill

Not a diner, but.....The best fried chicken I've had in North
America...It's Bonnie Lee's in St. Cloud Florida. The wait staff
doesn't have an order pad...just memorises your order. It's family run
with limited hours...closed Sunday and Monday. A 3 piece chicken dinner
with choice of sides always comes with 4-5 pieces. I always order the 3
pc with macaroni salad for a side and an unsweetened tea. Three of us
usually ate there at least once a week. Usually came to about 18.00 US.
They don't serve dessert, but I've never been able to finish my meal
anyway and always took leftovers home for the next day. We haven't
been south for a couple of years and really miss it. They open at 4 pm
and if you don't get there early there is a waiting line. Nobody ever
leaves, though. And if you get there late, like about 8 pm. you risk
that they will be out of supply. They get their supplies in fresh every
day and never hold food over for another day. Sharon in SW Ontario
Canada (formerly a snowbird)

On Friday, June 24, 2005, Andy wrote:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back to a
Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real homestyle
cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy and fun!!!

<snip>

I can only think of 2 diners I've ever been to (to which I've ever
been). One was the College Diner in New Rochelle, NY, across North
Avenue from Iona College. The other (name escapes me) was located at
about 40th & Spruce in Philadelphia. I liked them both. Have no idea
whether they still exist.

In the 35 years I've spent on the west coast, I don't think I've ever
seen a diner. Must be more of an eastern/southern/midwest thing. Well,
having said that, there is a place in the Pruneyard (San Jose, CA area
shopping center) which looks like a sort of bastardized diner/malt shop
corporate theme joint.
I think I've also seen one in downtown San Jose, so I assume it's a
chain. I haven't been there, and I'm not planning on going (unless any
veteran SJ'er chooses to vouch for it).

In article <[email hidden]>, Andy <Q>

Quoted message said:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back to a
Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real homestyle
cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy and fun!!!

They had a menu that was about 12 pages long! You could order just about
any food combinations under the sun and it'd be on the menu somewhere!

How the waitresses could magically shoehorn all those plates, bowls and
glasses perfectly on each table is beyond my comprehension.

The prices were cheap while the quality was first-rate and the portions
were huge!

I remember a whole roasted chicken with choice of two vegetables and
bread pudding desert for $8.00 (late '80s). OR the jumbo dual
cheeseburgers with french fries or steak fries, plus a pile of fixin's on
a giant platter for $4.99.

Every booth and the counter had the little jukeboxes. With the double
sided glass dessert cabinets full of sinful sweets, in the middle of the
room that nobody ever ordered from, unless you had dessert first!

You remember the place!

If I had a Diner like that nearby, I wouldn't have to wonder about what
to have for dinner anymore.

The diner right up the street from where a friend of mine lives fits
that description to a T. I am referring to Philadelphia's Mayfare Diner.
The Mayfare Diner has been in business for decades and it looks much the
same now as it did when it first opened. The Mayfare diner has great
food; just like what you'd expect at a diner. This diner is so popular
that during every presidential race, one or both the Republican and
Democratic candidates stops by to campaign there and so do most state,
city, and federal politicians when they're stumping for themselves or
others they know.

About 15 years ago, lived about 1.5 miles from the Mayfare diner when I
shared a house with a friend. One winter day after we had a blizzard all
night, my house mate and I spent at least two hours attempting to dig
our cars out of the snow. We both failed. This was a record breaking
snow fall. After we finally gave up our efforts to extricate our cars,
we decided to walk the 1.5 miles through the heavy snow to eat lunch.
Boy, the hot soup I ordered there really hit the spot on that cold day!
We then walked back home, dried off, and we spent the rest of the day
playing Nintendo games. That was a fun, but cold day!

Now that I don't live in that area, I only eat at the Mayfare Diner two
or three times a year. In fact, a few months ago, a friend and I decided
to meet at the Mayfare Diner for breakfast before we had to catch an
8:30am flight out of Philly International so we could car pool to the
airport. My friend and I both enjoyed our breakfast so much, we lost
track of the time and we ended up being 15 minutes too late for our
flight. Fortunately, the ticket agent let us board another flight about
half an hour later for no extra cost.

zxcvbob said:

jmcquown said:

Andy said:

Was thinking what I'd cook for dinner tonight when I flashed back
to a Diner we used to go to. You walked in and back in time! Real
homestyle cooking, family owned and operated and always noisy, busy
and fun!!!

They had a menu that was about 12 pages long! You could order just
about any food combinations under the sun and it'd be on the menu
somewhere!

How the waitresses could magically shoehorn all those plates, bowls
and glasses perfectly on each table is beyond my comprehension.

The prices were cheap while the quality was first-rate and the
portions were huge!

snippage

Quoted message said:

Andy

That's the diner on old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and
Memphis, Tennessee, isn't it? I can't remember the name of it. We
couldn't believe the lack of good old fashioned diners... saw this
place about 30 miles (or so) outside of Hunstville and came to a
screeching halt! Yes!

Jill

Please try to remember the name. (Is it in Decatur?) My inlaws live
just east of Huntsville off of 72. I got excited when at first I
thought you were talking about between Huntsville and Chatanooga
rather
than Memphis. Thanks.

Bob

I wish I could remember the name of the place. I thought I had a paper
take-out menu from there but guess I didn't get one or they didn't have one.
I can't recall exactly where it is, just that it's after Huntsville (about
30 miles, I'm guessing) right on Highway 72. The only other thing I could
see near the place was a tire/truck service shop at the "intersection" of
nothing and nothing next door 🙂 The diner had a menu as long as your arm
and great food.

We went in for breakfast (all day!) but they were setting out a "buffet" for
lunch up by the register... looked like fried chicken and maybe smothered
country steak in brown gravy with sides including mashed taters, green
beans, corn, (turnip?) greens, biscuits and cornbread.

Of course they had the regular chock full of nuts lunch (gimme a burger!)
lunch and dinner menu, too. Darn my brain for not remembering the name of
the place. Googling isn't my friend at this time, either; the search
parameters are too broad.

Jill

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 12:50:48 -0500, "jmcquown" wrote:

old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,

Quoted message said:

Tennessee, isn't it? saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

If you were west of Hunsville for 30 miles you were also west of I-65.
What year was this? I can't think of a place like this given those
directions. Help!!?

Joan

Oliver N. Skoglund said:

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 12:50:48 -0500, "jmcquown" wrote:

old Hwy 72 between Huntsville, Alabama and Memphis,

Quoted message said:

Tennessee, isn't it? saw this place about 30 miles (or
so) outside of Hunstville and came to a screeching halt! Yes!

If you were west of Hunsville for 30 miles you were also west of I-65.
What year was this? I can't think of a place like this given those
directions. Help!!?

Joan

Just a few months ago, April, 2005, heading north on Hwy 72, straight up
from Huntsville towards Memphis. For some reason the name Pete keeps coming
to mind.

Jill

Quoted message said:

Just a few months ago, April, 2005, heading north on Hwy 72, straight up
from Huntsville towards Memphis. For some reason the name Pete keeps coming
to mind.

Jill

Thanks, Jill. Just one more question that might seem dumb. Was this
diner on the right- or left-hand side of the highway???? We're going
that way in a couple of months and for sure I'm going to be on the
look-out. Have a suspicion already of where it might be!

Joan