The standard American diner has all the standard paraphernalia: catsup container, syrup bottle, plate of creamers, stack of jellies and jams, sugars of every stripe and hot sauce and pepper - all within easy reach.
Your average American diner mostly has booths with vinyl-covered seats and Formica-topped tables; but some also boast an array of tables scattered about the center of the place.
Some diners are small and cozy and some are quite large and are magnets for vacationing families who flock in by the horde.
I've been in every kind of diner, I think, in my life to-date. Today was no exception. The senior software engineering guy and I traveled fifteen minutes to a neighboring small town to go to the bank and have lunch together. Having lunch together is something we don't often get to do, so when the occasion arises, it's nice to pick a spot where the point of it is camaraderie, not cuisine.
Not that the food was bad by any means. The food was good. It was good, basic food. Today I had fish and chips [french fries to the uninitiated] and a side salad with ranch dressing and a cherry coke. The engineer had a chicken salad sandwich with coleslaw and a glass of water - and he ate the chips. Not the kind of food you give stars to or write reviews about, but I was happy with it. It was fresh, well cooked and tasted good. The service was also good - friendly but not intrusive.
See, in America, you go to the diner, not for the food, but for the company you're with. Or you go to the diner because all you want is a simple meal without all the fuss of a "fancy" restaurant. Diners are nice anonymous places to go. Diners are nice neighborly places to go.
I will say this for the American diner...the best side salads with Ranch dressing I've ever eaten, I've had at diners.
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