Diners are an American institution dating back to 1872 when Walter Scott drove a horse drawn freight wagon filled with sandwiches, boiled eggs, buttered bread, pies and coffee around Providence Rhode Island feeding late night factory workers. Modifications to the freight wagon or lunch wagon as they became known over the years entered a new phase when in the 1920's Jerry O'Mahony, a manufacturer of lunch cars decided to refer to his creations as "Diners".

The New England area of the United States was the starting point for the diner revolution and throughout the depression and the Second World War the diner flourished, it was regarded as recession proof. After the war the diner was in great demand and then into the 50's and 60's they had become an American institution.

Then the fast food giants hit the market and the American diner started to slide in popularity. There were still thousands of diners around the country and along the highways of adventure, more a stop for the truckies looking for good home-style food. In 1982 the movie Diner inspired a resurgence of diner mania and this attention led to the creation of new old style diners.

Today, the modern diner is replacing many ageing food outlets and creating a respectable clientele of diner fans. Menus are diverse and include traditional diner fare as well as more eclectic and regional dishes.

Australia's most famous diner was Harry's Cafe de Wheels which looked after many Servicemen and late night hunger pains at the harbour front area of Woolloomooloo below Kings Cross in Sydney. Started in the late 1930's, Harry's is also an institution and although relocated is still in business today.
Long live the diner