Diners of Lancaster County

What exactly IS a diner? 

Perhaps it's a type of restaurant, and we can list the features that make a diner a *diner*.  More likely, it's a perception in our minds, and anyplace that fits the perception then fits the name.

Lets take a shot at defining the restaurant type:  'Diner':

• A relatively small place, although this is not a given.
• Lots and lots of desserts.... most especially pie. (Mmmm...pie!)
• A counter and booths.  Free standing tables are not mandatory, but the counter is.
• Breakfast 24/7, or at least all the hours they are open.
• More pie, and cakes too. (Cream pies, fruit pies, custard pies...)
• Bottomless cups of good coffee and glasses of iced tea.
• 'American' fare, like burgers, sandwiches, and comfort food.
• Yet more pie, preferably in a revolving glass cabinet. (shining like a beacon of hope and joy!)
• Chrome, and vinyl covered seats at the counter.
• Fast service and friendly wait staff.  Even the grumpy ones are friendly.
• Condiment racks on the counter or table, containing salt, pepper, ketchup, hot sauce, sweeteners, and usually little packets of jam and jelly.
• Most of the hot foods are cooked on a flat top, and the cook is a master at home fries.
• Locally owned and operated, and not a chain store
• Did I mention pie? (*sigh* Yummy pie!)

 Myself, I believe the concept of The Diner is almost a state of mind.  Lot's of places may call themselves 'Cafe' or 'Bistro' or even 'Family Restaurant', yet when we walk in our deepest soul speaks the word 'Diner' to our heart.  We know without asking that an omelette can be had any time of day, no one would even consider charging for a coffee refill, and somewhere there's going to be a glass case showing off enough desserts to feed a football team.

Herself and I have decided to do a series on The Diners Of Lancaster County.   These kinds of places are our comfort zone.  They are where we go when we want a good meal on the quite, without pressure and without pretense.  

Til now, we've inwardly cringed against writing up our diner dining experiences, feeling that such places are off-duty for us. Now, our minds have changed a bit.  We offer our scribbling here as a way of sharing with friends.... and who doesn't like sharing a meal with friends?

For this series, we will be visiting diners around Lancaster county, ordering a matching meal at each.  Something in keeping with our comfort food tastes, and allowing us to compare apples to apples.

• A ham and cheese omelette, with home fries and toast. 
• A cheeseburger, in whatever way the place calls 'regular', along with fries.
• A pancake to share..... because life is better with pancakes.
• Coffee, and iced tea.
• Pie!  (Again, to share)

We will lead off with our go-to place, which calls itself a restaurant while still meeting every 'diner' criteria we can think of.  Stay tuned, friends!