Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Since 2007

single frame: America’s Diner

Jim Grey
13 comments on single frame: America’s Diner
1 minute
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America's Diner

America’s Diner
Polaroid SX-70
Polaroid Color SX-70 Film
2020

When I was in my 20s and didn’t make much money an occasional dinner at Denny’s was a treat. Super Bird sandwich and fries, please.

I don’t know whether my palate has become more sophisticated, or whether the quality of Denny’s food isn’t what it was 30 years ago, but I don’t enjoy Denny’s all that much today.

However, one of our kids was on the crew that opened this Denny’s a few months ago. For a few days before they opened, the crew’s friends and family got to dine for free with the crew member while they all learned the ropes. That free dinner was delicious. The Super Bird is still on the menu after all these years.

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Comments

13 responses to “single frame: America’s Diner”

  1. J P Avatar
    J P

    I have never seen a Denny’s that was not a freestanding building.

    I have not been to one in a long time. I never tried the Super Bird – I could never pass up the Grand Slam Breakfast no matter what time of day it may have been.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      It’s hard to beat a Grand Slam. I’m not sure how I settled on the Super Bird but I did and it was a great sandwich. Back in the day Denny’s made a positively delicious burger, too.

      Reply
  2. DougD Avatar
    DougD

    I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Denny’s. I highly suspect my palate has moved on, even before I’ve been.
    Our usual thing when on US motorcycle trips was to find a mom & pop breakfast place out in the country with a row of work trucks out front.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Yup. That’s how you do it. Out in the country, and look for the full parking lot.

      Reply
  3. jim Avatar
    jim

    Love that SX70 color! I wasted lots and had just about given up on it when i learned about the ” frogs tongue” I was also laying them out in the daylight like i used to with the original film to hasten development! No! No!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Yeah, it’s the serious bummer about the new films. I wanted to watch them develop!

      Reply
  4. tbm3fan Avatar
    tbm3fan

    I have always considered these places to be for breakfast and lunch but never dinner. The various Grand Slam breakfasts are what draw me and they do it well. If I end up at one around midnight, that happened when younger in college, I would always order a breakfast.

    When the family was in Las Vegas, March 13-15, yep that time of all times because my wife never turns down a free room, we ate breakfast out. Normally Denny’s but tried IHOP instead. Last time in one was 1979 on Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley. Not bad and their promotion was double your normal order of of hash browns or pancakes. I don’t do pancakes so hash browns was it. Then we drove into California, on the 16th, when everything went to shelter in place.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      The only thing about Denny’s breakfasts that gets me is the quality of the grease, or maybe it’s spray, they use on their grill. I just don’t like it. I don’t remember it being that bad 30 years ago! My wife and I ate at an IHOP last year and … it was dreadful. Might be our last time.

      Reply
      1. DougD Avatar
        DougD

        Ha, we went to IHOP in Florida around New Years’. Just for the cultural experience, it met our extremely low expectations and we don’t need to ever go back. :)

        Reply
        1. tbm3fan Avatar
          tbm3fan

          LOL, that is why I always order two eggs over medium, hash browns, toast and coffee. Really hard to screw that up. Maybe a ham and cheese omelet which is also hard to mess up.

          Reply
  5. brandib1977 Avatar
    brandib1977

    There’s a Denny’s along the National Road at Zanesville, Ohio (just off I-70). It’s a silver sided diner with nice retro decor. They get points for that in my mind. The service is usually pretty good and they have great pancakes. That’s one of the few things a vegetarian can really get there but I always enjoy the experience. Every other Denny’s experience is usually disappointing. :(

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I’m gluten free; pancakes are one thing I can’t eat there!

      Reply
      1. brandib1977 Avatar
        brandib1977

        Lol. That’s a sad story!! When I still ate fish I always got some kind of fried fish filet with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli that I thought was ok….

        Reply

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