Fifties-style diners remain popular today as a nostalgic style, but just after the end of World War II, they were actually considered the latest new thing. If you remember eating in a diner in the fifties, you probably remember sodas served in a classic Coke glass, home-cooked style meals, and warm apple pie for dessert. Outside the diner would sit the cars driven there by teenage boys on dates and fathers bringing the family for a meal, classic 1950s hot rods in turquoise and chrome. These cars would become so well-loved that they would even inspire pedal-car versions for their owners' children. Fifties diners incorporated chrome and steel in a "space age" design, and vinyl seats in turquoise, mint green, and cherry red. Over the jukebox played the hottest new rock n' roll hits as teenagers sipped on milkshakes and families ate hamburgers.

The classic diner in the 1950s was actually built in a factory, and then transported to its location in sections. These midcentury diners were characterized by their counters with tall stools and the booths where countless teenagers visited on date night. Diners were known for large portions, friendly service, and a comfortable and relaxed environment. Fifties-style diners are a uniquely American idea, although the idea of a diner restaurant actually goes back to the nineteenth century, when they were designed after railroad cars, albeit without the chrome and Formica styling of the classic 1950s diner. New materials developed during the World War II timeframe, like stainless steel, gave the fifties diner its unique "modern" appearance.

Unfortunately, this classic dining establishment is slowly disappearing, being replaced by fast food joints and brick-sided restaurants as the "space age" design style used for fifties diners has been overtaken by more current styles. According to one study, today there are only half as many diners in the United States as there were in the 1950s. Those that still exist may not have their original shiny chrome exteriors, vinyl bench seats, and Formica countertops that you remember from diners half a century ago. Unfortunately, like so many classic touches of the 1950s, the diner is no longer as prevalent as it once was, although it is still popular with fans that remember the diner at the height of its popularity or enjoy its now-retro ambience.

The atmosphere in a fifties-style diner today is a throwback to a simpler time; diners from the fifties still operating today are known for their pie and coffee; many still have an old-fashioned jukebox where you can find rock and roll songs from decades past. Today, fifties diners can still be spotted with their original styling both inside and out. Come on in for a traditional meal of coffee, milk shakes, hot food and pie. It sure is a treat, whether you're old enough to remember diners back in the 1950's or just love the retro styling. The diner was a popular hangout during the 1950s, and today it still holds a nostalgic place in the hearts of many, just like pedal cars and rock and roll. If you like the retro look, you can even decorate your home with diner-style booths and Formica tables with chrome legs.