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 Route
40 is blessed with a wide variety of diners along its 3,220 mile
run. More importantly, all but one of the fourteen Route 40 states
have great diner coverage (West Virginia is the exception with
no diners whatsoever along Route 40). Do yourself a favor - avoid
the chain restaurants and stop by for a meal at one of these great
diners. Yeah, the food isn't the healthiest around and more often
than not, the service leaves a little to be desired. But from
a cultural perspective, you just can't do better than a local
diner. Diners are the best places to meet the locals.
If you're up to diner fare, here
are links to some of the diners you'll find along
Route 40. Click on a state to explore the diners
found along Route 40. In the list on the right,
the number in parentheses represents the number
of Route 40 diners found in that state. In each
state's listing, I've included the diner's address
and other contact information, as well as the
make and year of manufacture of each diner (if
known).
 If
there is a diner missing from the list or if you
have a photograph or other information, please
don't hesitate to contact
me. Specifically, I'm looking for restaurants
that meet one of the following criteria (I suppose
this is as good as any for a definition of a diner):
- Has the word "diner"
in its name,
- Is house entirely or partially in a prefabricated,
portable structure,
- Is enclosed in or uses a trolley
car, railroad car or other former form of surface
transportation,
- Has an exterior made of porcelain
enamel steel or has an abundance of chrome,
brushed steel or aluminum on the interior or
exterior, or
- Generally are not part of a national chain
- Denny's Classic Diners, Little Chef, White Castles, Little
Taverns, White Hut, Royal Castles, Krystals, White Diamonds,
McClarren's Sulver Shanties and Hill's Snappy Service restaurants
are exceptions. (I am trying to compile a complete list of these
chains locations where porcelain-enamel or portable structures
were used - if you know of a location where one stands or used
to stand, please contact
me!)
I've recieved some complaints from some diner
owners who aren't pleased with my comments. In response, I've
developed what I think is an objective diner rating system. Click
here for more details.
For more information about diners, be sure to
check out these great web sites:
Enjoy!
P.S. Special tahnks to the Kansas State Historical
Society for their assistance on Valentine diners!
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