Before the dominance of national fast food chains (see entry under 1920s—Food and Drink in volume 2) in the 1950s, the diner was the most popular type of inexpensive restaurant for many Americans. Like their fast food cousins, diners emerged as a response to the expanding automobile culture in the United States. Many diners were located along highways, where they offered short-order, home-style meals, complete with apple pie and coffee, to hungry travelers.

An example of a diner in 1952. AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.

The diner itself evolved from horse-drawn lunch wagons of the late nineteenth century. These lunch wagons also served take-out meals in the downtowns of many cities after the restaurants had closed for the night. By the 1890s, stationary diners were being built. The stationary diners resembled lunch wagons, with counters, stools, and grills efficiently laid out in a compact, horizontal format. Simple...