Jukeboxes added a new customer to the 1950s diner.
Norman Rockwell made 1950s diner scenes a reflection of typical American living. Gracing the cover of the Saturday Evening Post was, "The Runaway" and "Soda Jerk." Both prints draw the eye to the counter that was the gathering place for locals. His work gives a glimpse into the American past and how significant the diner was at the time. Jerry Mahoney of Bayonne, New Jersey, was the leading manufacturer of prefabricated diners during the 1950s. For $36,000, a person could choose a diner from a brochure that included the building, fixtures, dishes and cookware.
Type of Design
Diners constructed during the 1930s and 1940s, served city dwellers where most of the factories were located. Railroad dining cars influenced the design of diners. In the 1950s the suburbs grew as the factories left the cities and expanded in areas that could accommodate growth. Designs changed to draw families by offering a cleaner look with stainless steel facades, counters and backdrops. The exterior design remained intact but the interior design reflected a fresher, bold look that included checkered floors, red walls and booths.
Types of Amenities
Diners served factory workers, families and teenagers looking for a meeting place. Jukeboxes installed to accommodate the high school crowds brought a different style to the old diners. Soda fountains served milk shakes, ice cream sodas, floats and varieties of ice cream mixtures. Different types of diners emerged from the necessity to compete with the fast food joints opening up across America. Additions to diner designs gave more space for game rooms that included pool tables and pin-ball machines. Some diners offered space for teenagers to dance to the jukebox music.
Different Foods
Gimmicks were invented to draw families in such as the eggs in a skillet, served at the Short Stop Diner in Bloomfield, New Jersey. The breakfast meal was served to the customer in a skillet. In Michigan, the Coney dog is served to fit the Coney Island style restaurant. Small table jukeboxes were installed in some diners that played different types of music according to taste of the local customers.
Different Decors
Diners took on the culture of its customers. In the northeast, especially New Jersey New York and Pennsylvania, local rock 'n' roll artists were emerging such as Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell. Pictures of rock 'n' roll stars graced the walls. Other areas hung sports memorabilia or pictures of movie stars. Along with the decor were the meals named after a celebrity. The 1950s diner changed with the times in order to survive by including larger facilities and new cuisines. Interest in diners of all eras is growing and helping to preserve them as historical landmarks, according to the American Diner Museum.
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