How Old School Lunch Wagons Paved The Way For Modern Diners

Diners are a classic part of American food culture, a place you go to get a decent cup of joe and comfort food. Who knew these unfussy, nostalgic establishments actually started out on wheels? Diners originated in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1872, when teenage entrepreneur Walter Scott created the first-ever "night lunch" wagon. Starting in the 1850s, Scott had sold items like fruit, candy, and newspapers from a basket to people downtown for years until he recognized an untapped market: late shift workers. He eventually swapped his basket for a push cart and later a canvas-topped freight wagon that he parked outside the Providence Journal office, where he sold coffee and quick bites to newspaper employees and other late-shift workers who didn't get out of work until after restaurants closed. He probably didn't use the best coffee beans, but it fit the bill after a long day. Others took note of Scott's idea and started their own mobile eateries. 

Flash-forward to 1884 and Samuel Messer Jones of Worcester, Massachusetts, built the first culinary caravan with a full kitchen and room for customers to enjoy a meal inside. The eat-in wagon was a huge success, and Worcester builder Charles H. Palmer, who ended up buying up most of Jones' carts, patented his lunch cart design in 1891. The carts featured a counter separating the back kitchen from the dining area in front where there were barstools and chairs for diners to eat. There were also windows that allowed servers to pass food to more customers outside. 

By the 20th century, the popularity of these mobile eateries started posing a problem, as there were so many operating in the streets. This led some wagon operators to find permanent locations for their businesses. Wheels were removed and wagons built longer with design inspiration from railroad cars. In fact, the term "diner" was derived from the dining car of a railroad car. The Jerry O'Mahony Company of New Jersey was one of the first to make the lunch wagon stationary in 1913.

It was equipped with all the necessities for a restaurant: gas, electricity, and running water. O'Mahony would go on to ship thousands of pre-fabricated diners around the country by the middle of the century. These structures were typically stainless steel on the outside with ceramic tiling and chrome countertops inside. Neon signage was also common. Many diners today still have long, train-like shapes that harken back to bygone days. If you're looking for an old school spot to try, there's a James Beard award-winning diner called Mustache Bill's in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.