The Sweet Comfort Food That's Popular At Old-School Diners

When you think of a traditional American diner (like any one of America's best ones), some things almost always spring to mind. There's a long counter with stools where you can watch the short-order cook flip eggs and fry bacon. There's a gum-chewing waitress refilling coffee mugs. There's a jukebox. The menu is simple, with burgers and fries, grilled cheeses, and perhaps a blue plate special featuring macaroni and tomatoes or pot roast. And there is pie. Always pie.

But why pie? Diner pie goes all the way back to 1870, when the first lunch wagons appeared in Rhode Island. These rolling food carts were basically the prototype for the classic American diner. Lunch wagons appeared late at night and catered to night shifters and overall night owls and sold things like hot coffee, sandwiches, and pie when other restaurants were closed. As the wagons transitioned into permanent diners by the 1930s, these crowd-pleasing, hearty dishes stayed on expanding menus. We could argue that one of the reasons people like to eat at diners today is the taste of the past it gives them, from the old-school décor to the simple dishes like pie.

In addition, pie is easy to store and serve, especially key in the hustle and bustle of a busy diner. It also tastes excellent with a hot cup of the coffee that is served almost constantly at a classic diner. Some of these locales still have small rotating pie displays perched on the counters or large ones by the front door, adding to the nostalgia of the place.

Naturally, a decent diner is going to offer customers what they like, and this includes the kinds of pies on offer in that rotating display. Apple, pumpkin, pecan, and cherry pie often round out America's favorite pie flavors, so you would expect to see at least some of these at a diner, although pecan and pumpkin may be seasonal selections. Berry pies like cherry and blueberry are favorites, as well as cream pies like banana and chocolate cream and sky-high lemon meringue.

However, some diners are known for being local hangouts and are therefore loyal to the tastes of their customer base. This means that the state where a diner is located could have a lot of influence over its pie selections. For example, in Montana, you're more likely to find huckleberry pie, which is the state fruit. You likewise stand to see a lot of Key lime pies in Florida diners, sour cream and raisin pie in Nebraska (the flavor is a hit at Midwestern state fairs), and strawberry rhubarb pie in New Hampshire, where it's an often-searched pie flavor. The pie possibilities are practically endless when it comes to diner selections. The bigger question: will you go a step farther and order your slice à la mode with ice cream?