Sunday, December 8, 2024

“NO FOOD FINER”

[234 East 41st Street, Manhattan, c. 1939–1941. From the NYC Municipal Archives Collections. Click for a much larger view.]

Not just a diner: the diner. I can imagine that the song “Dinah” — is there anyone finer? — might have had something to do with the jaunty slogan on this establishment’s sign.

[Click for a larger view.]

Today, there’s an entrance to a parking garage.

[From the 1940 Manhattan directory.]

Related reading
All OCA More photographs from the NYC Municipal Archives (Raindrop.io)

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comments: 10

Fresca said...

I wonder what they served... Do you know, or can you guess?

Michael Leddy said...

Eggs, sandwiches? Diner fare, I would guess.

Fresca said...

I wasn’t sure what traditional diner fare would be, so I looked it up:
“pancakes, sausages, meatloaf, burgers, and sandwiches were standard on diner menus”.

Anonymous said...

that's a good one

Michael Leddy said...

I’ll have a Cheeseburger Deluxe — “Deluxe” meaning with fries, coleslaw, lettuce and tomato, pickle, and possibly an onion ring. I'm not sure how far back the “deluxe” goes.

Take a look at this diner cook in action: Kenneth “Spider” Osgood.. He’s incredible. Believe it or not, he later repaired antique clocks.

I was lucky to find this diner — I looked under diner in the 1940 Manhattan directory.

Fresca said...

The Spider was an artist!

Joe DiBiase said...

And don't forget the Blue Plate Special

Michael Leddy said...

“A square for two bits” — that’s great!

Anonymous said...

Someone looking out behind the wash

Michael Leddy said...

And being pretty surreptitious about it. Good catch!