Meatloaf. Mashed potatoes. Breakfast all day, every day. A cup of coffee that always seems to be full. These are the menu hallmarks of the American diner. Throw in a countertop with stools, booths with laminate countertops, and a lot of stainless steel, and the nostalgic vibe is complete. The first iterations of diners popped up in the mid-1800s, and have been a national staple ever since.
When you think of a diner, you probably envision big plates of comfort food and lots of coffee served late into the night. It's been that way for more than a century, since the very first diner opened in the late 1800s (although back then it was more of a pushcart than a restaurant). But the content of that comfort food? That has changed considerably over the years.