Mike D. / Yelp
It’s hard to beat your favorite local greasy spoon. But sometimes you’re on the road and you just need a short order breakfast at 6 p.m., or a cheeseburger in the middle of the night. That’s where diner chains come in and fill you with the comforting, hearty food that you crave. These are chains where you’ll get no-nonsense service, an inexpensive meal, and a side of nostalgic Americana.
Waffle House is the great equalizer: everyone goes there, and everyone is treated the same. Sure, the service might be brusk, but it’s always fast, efficient, and lively. Watching the cooks decipher and whip out orders is built-in entertainment, and it’s way more complicated (and impressive) than you might think. Plus, those loaded hash browns and pecan waffles are the stuff of legends. Waffle House is iconic for a reason.
Opposite of Waffle House is First Watch, arguably the fanciest diner chain on this list. This is a modern restaurant, with unique twists and dishes on the menu that change seasonally. Thankfully, it’s welcoming without being pretentious, and everyone from a 10-year-old to grandma can find something they’ll enjoy on the menu here, no matter when their special dietary needs are. Avocado toast? Check. “Superfoods”? Check. Chocolate chip pancakes? You got it.
Everyone’s got some road trip memory of heading into a Cracker Barrel and getting some classic comfort food right when you need it most. The peg game kept the kids busy while waiting for their food, and the mish mash of knickknacks and antiques kept everyone else occupied. Cracker Barrel sells Americana as much as they sell hash brown casserole, fried chicken, and biscuit, and we love it.
Yes, Perkins is still around, and we’re grateful for it. This is kind of the family restaurant/diner chain that time forgot, but it’s just as homey as ever and still in over 30 states. The bakery case that’s front and center when you walk in is the highlight, especially if you’re looking for giant muffins or a slice of pie. There’s multiple pages of the menu dedicated to those baked desserts, plus an over-55 menu, and short-order breakfast served all day.
Black Bear Diner has that woodsy, mountain theme complete with carved bear statues, and people eat it up almost as much as the chicken fried steak. They serve hearty, stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts like cinnamon roll french toast and dinner classics like patty melts, club sandwiches, and meatloaf. Though you can mostly find this restaurant in the western and southern states, it’s expanding.
Walking into a Metro Diner is like walking into the ideal Jersey diner car, which is funny because this chain started in Florida. The decor is art deco right down to the green light fixtures and shiny chrome stools at the diner counter. You’ll find all the usual classic diner plates here, plus a Soul food influence in items like chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and spicy honey chicken sandwiches.
Johnny Rockets really plays up the nostalgic diner aesthetic, and while it’s a little over the top, we appreciate a themed restaurant as long as you know what you’re getting into. Unlike most of the diner chains on this list, this one focuses on lunch and dinner instead of breakfast — in fact, there is no breakfast. But burgers, onion rings, and shakes are just as much a part of diner culture, and you’ll get good versions of them all here that straddle the line between fast food and sit down restaurants.
