upvote

points

by A_D_E_P_T18 hours ago |
comments
upvoteby chrisco25517 hours ago|
next
[-]
Your first link is a restaurant in a shopping mall. It has the interior facade of being a diner, and it serves...avocado bites, spicy chicken nachos, kimchi burgers, etc. Not really the same!

Vegas has an eiffel tower too...

reply
upvoteby pimeys16 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
I was born in Finland and 100% agree.

Diners are something else. In Germany we have "American diners" where you pay for each cup of coffee.

It's not the same.

reply
upvoteby rowanajmarshall6 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Every now and again someone will open a "American Diner" here in London, then have normal opening times and serve basically the same food every pub serves, only with more milkshakes.

Like, no. I want my American-style hash browns, over-easy eggs, and country-fried steak, not the same burger every pub on the street is doing.

And (refillable) filter coffee please, not just espresso drinks.

reply
upvoteby pimeys6 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Pancakes, maple syrup, and bacon... Biscuits and gravy...

We had a place like that in Berlin about ten tears ago. Free coffee refills, free tap water on every table. That place sadly did not survive.

reply
upvoteby davezatch6 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Nalu?? God I miss that place. Run by an American couple but they moved away and I’ve not found anything truly comparable since.
reply
upvoteby MrDrMcCoy17 hours ago|
prev|
next
[-]
Fun to see all that, but curious why I haven't seen any on any of my trips across the UK and Ireland. I even asked some locals and they did not know of any diners anywhere in the country. I would've thought they would've been all over it.
reply
upvoteby armadsen16 hours ago|
parent|
next
[-]
Eddie Rocket's is an Irish chain of American diners. I've eaten there in Dublin. Although at least that location is downtown, and in a bigger building, not a classic diner style building. The inside is very much American Diner themed with vinyl seats, chrome, jukebox controls at the table, and of course the menu of burgers, fries, shakes, etc.

https://www.eddierockets.ie

reply
upvoteby mauvehaus11 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
It's reassuring in a vague, indescribable way to know that while the Irish are exporting Irish pubs to the USA, we're exporting diners to Ireland.

Like, maybe they're passing each other somewhere over the Atlantic, and giving each other a friendly nod as they go along their respective journeys.

reply
upvoteby A_D_E_P_T17 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
next
[-]
The UK has these "American Diner" chains too: https://okdiners.com/

I thought that the "Elvis Diner" was practically a meme in the UK, actually. Hah.

reply
upvoteby gopher_space1 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Interesting. In my mind (west coast US) our diners are more Nighthawks than Happy Days. Smoking or non-smoking?
reply
upvoteby ericgreveson16 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
We have an independent one, Herbie's, just down the road from us outside Cambridge. It's pretty good! They have a wide range of imported US fizzy drinks cans too!
reply
upvoteby deanc7 hours ago|
prev|
next
[-]
Have been to both. Apart from the decor there is absolutely nothing diner about it. The first one especially has terrible food.
reply
upvoteby thaumasiotes17 hours ago|
prev|
next
[-]
> Something you've got to realize is that this form of culture is something that has gone far beyond America's borders. To the European, it is the very pinnacle of "American Food" -- and 50s/60s themed diners are all over the place.

What do they serve?

reply
upvoteby A_D_E_P_T17 hours ago|
parent|
next
[-]
Burgers, shakes, pancakes, hot dogs, sometimes BLTs and tuna melts. That sort of thing. In Europe, the "American Diner" is usually the only place that'll serve a normal plate of pancakes. (Everywhere else it's crepes, which are completely different...)
reply
upvoteby andrew_lettuce17 hours ago|
parent|
next
[-]
Fried chicken, liver and onions, biscuits and gravy - the breakfast options are my jam, but not really the other entrees. You can order dessert regardless though!
reply
upvoteby xeromal16 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
next
[-]
Do they serve hashbrowns?
reply
upvoteby A_D_E_P_T15 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Yes, in fact. I was at the one in Belgrade about a year ago, and their hashbrowns are terrific. It's mostly a burger and pancake joint, though.
reply
upvoteby thaumasiotes17 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
Sounds pretty reasonable.

Within the US, there are at least two major diner chains:

https://www.dennys.com/

https://www.ihop.com/en

At a diner in America, I'd be unsurprised to see some less "diner" offerings. When I go to my local non-chain diner, I order fettucine alfredo. And the article here has a good picture of a diner advertising "American and Korean food". I think part of the core diner concept is a somewhat athematic menu that is meant to cater to local tastes.

With that in mind, Cheesecake Factory might also be thought of as a diner. https://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/menu

So I'm a little surprised at the idea of a diner that only has classic burgers / shakes / pancakes, but I'd have to admit those are fairly core dishes.

reply
upvoteby xeromal16 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
I'd say a waffle house is a better chain if you're in the lower Southeast. Much closer to a true diner experience
reply
upvoteby kulahan13 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Yes, absolutely. They talk to you the way I expect to be talked to in a diner (lotsa “huns”), the coffee never ends, and sometimes you get to watch UFC live. The food is so easy to eat, too.
reply
upvoteby 12 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
deleted
reply
upvoteby bigyabai17 hours ago|
prev|
[-]
I think there's a difference between the "squeeze-in" style diners and simply American-style diners like the ones you've posted. A lot of the nostalgia comes from the tiny prefab buildings that barely manage to fit a bar and row of booth seats. Those are the ones from the movies that feel more authentic/classic in person, at least to me.
reply