There's a diner I know where geezers rule. It's a mom and pop operation with 12 tables and 8 stools around the counter. Mom and Pop cook all the food, and the wait staff are family, (sons, daughters, grand kids, you know who I mean). This is a small town restaurant, with no aspirations to be the next McDonald's or Applebee's. It's just good home town food.
Everyday the clientele is about the same. Every morning a loyal group of LOM geezers arrive at opening and stay for a couple of hours. They are wearing their Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine ball caps as a badge. The caps say "We served" and Mom and Pop give them a discount. The fellows come every morning for coffee and breakfast. They solve the problems of the world over a friendly cuppa.
They leave in time for the local lunch crowd to come in. These are not youngsters either but not geezers. They work in the area and they know Mom and Pop have the best lunches around. And, Mom's pie is fantastic.
By the time they go, it's time for the geezer couples to arrive. They come in time for the 4 PM special. From 4 to 6 PM, the diner includes free coffee and soda, for all meals. That's a good deal. Everyday the couples change, but there's always a group of geezers who are eating their early dinner. They share tables if they run out of room, it's a family type place.
By 6:30 PM, the diner has now been open for 12 hours. Mom and Pop have put in a full day. They turn on the closed sign, and talk to their customers as they are finishing their meals. Everyone is out of the restaurant by 7 PM. If you want to stay later you can, but you'll have to deal with the cleaners--who are the great-grandkids of Mom and Pop. They clean the place from top to bottom and get it ready for the next day.
Mom and Pop have developed a neighborhood diner that works for them and the neighborhood. They know their customers well...they also know the children and grand children of all their customers, and the customers know Mom and Pop and their kids too. Everyone knows the local gossip, the best stores, doctors, lawyers and chiefs. It's their own private Geezerville, all in a restaurant. What a place.
These restaurants are a dying entity...so when you find one, support it with all your heart and soul. We need these places that are not connected to a big chain but to a neighborhood. We need places that know what the customers want and that's what they serve. There are no trendy items on the menu. This is not the place for a kale smoothie or burr ground coffee. At Mom and Pop diner USA you'll find a good cuppa coffee any time of the day and a good meal, morning, noon, and night. While this might not be your cuppa tea everyday of the week, it's a great place to enjoy some good food every now and then. (We like going once a week.) Remember, we're all in this together.
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