Coffee, Tea, Water? Rolls or Cornbread?

The American diner is quickly disappearing. Replaced by a world of fast food, quick casual, or gawd forbid, buffets.

I got my start in the restaurant/hospitality business at seventeen. A small Italian place whose owners believed they could bring the bumpkins of Hixson actual Italian food (not just pizza and spaghetti dishes). If you know the area, this experiment went about as you would expect, and lasted about a year. But it was a fun, educational year. The idea of working with cuisines from exotic locales (Brooklyn was pretty exotic at eighteen) was appealing. 

I come honestly by my interest in solid American fare. My mother ran a small catering business out of our house and spent most of her life dealing with food. As I liked to eat (I developed a keen interest in this activity as a small child), I'd often find myself in her kitchen. Our menu at home consisted of things mostly Southern with a dash of New Orleans in the mix; stuff cooked in cast iron, a pressure cooker, and sheet pans. Essentially, things you find in a good local diner.

Locally, three diners were preferred by my own family and generally a Wednesday or Saturday tradition. Karl’s Family Restaurant in Hixson, Wally’s on McCallie and Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Chattanooga. Woolworth’s was a destination prize as a kid, mainly because it could be preceded by a trip to the toy department, which was always much more interesting than folderol (stops at the fabric shop or fake flower section). 

At Woolworth’s lunch counter you were greeted with the smell of bacon fat and the steam of a fresh cooked biscuit. A great place to sip coffee, read the newspaper or both. Kids were eating smaller portions of their parent’s meals, unable to sit still in anticipation of the toy department. 

But now the food & beverage industry has changed. Refuges of this sort have all but disappeared.

I understand the search for an authentic experience. I eat food from many cultures, love the opportunity to experience a fresh taste or dish I’ve not sampled before. But the current trend seems to be to marry as many cuisines and ideas together as possible to attract a buck. And it feels inauthentic. I’d rather eat the real thing from a place dedicated to perfecting the same five dishes to experimenting with Hawaiian kielbasa sliders. Innovation it ain’t.

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of the American Diner, who passed away at an undetermined age after a long illness. Born in Anytown, USA in the 1920s, she led a rich, well-traveled life. She gave to others until she, at long last, succumbed after a long illness of indifference. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to her very distant relations: Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, or the posh Polish Sushi fusion joint of your choice. 

Well, there’s always Waffle House.