💸Build wealth better with your own dedicated financial advisor and try Domain risk-free for 30 days: dmnmny.co/modernmba 0:00 A Culinary & Cultural Oasis 6:43 America's Diner 15:50 Old Country Roads 21:35 Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity
At eighty bucks a month it's a hard pass for Domain Money. I'm not with all these financial apps. Too much fraud going on in Silicon Valley. I ain't trusting these people with my hard earned cheddar.
I would love to see a deep dive like this on American Chinese restaurants and the invisible connections that fosters uniformity amongst so many completely unrelated businesses.
Great Idea! Hope he does this one, or maybe US Thai Restaurants as they have a government program to spread thai cuisine and have a similar uniformity across regions.
I own a little diner, it’s in the middle of nowhere and has been a diner for over 40 years. I’m the sixth owner of this restaurant and it has been a good challenge.
Man the US runs on diners out in the middle of nowhere I know that it saved my fathers sanity when he was a trucker being able to stop off at a little shop out in the middle of the country somewhere and chat with the fry cook over a coffee. Keep it going man.
I deeply miss having 24-hour diners in Germany. They were among my favorite things about the US. Working irregular shifts often meant limited options for food after work. In Germany, if you don't have a 9-to-5 job, you feel quite left out because EVERYTHING is setup to serve 9to5 job customers when it comes to opening times. Even the supermarkets aren't open after a night shift most of the time. But when I visited the United States and arrived in Austin at 4am, being able to enjoy a lovely meal and coffee before our 3-hour drive was an unparalleled experience. Also because its so often shown on TV series or movies made in the US. I dont know why it is so special to me, but knowing you can go to a diner 24h a day is just awesome.
It's available for 24hrs because of the $2.13 per hr minimum wage in the US. The rest is expected to be supplemented by tips. It's not possible in other developed countries.
@@wigglyk2796 All servers are entitled to the state minimum wage, even though their pay is technically only a few dollars per hour, their employers are required to make-up the difference if it falls short.
@@theblackswordsman9951servers are because federal minimum wage is different if you make tips. I think legally you can make half the minimum wage + tips. ACTUALLY I just googled it. Minimum wage for servers in TEXAS , UTAH , TN , VIRGINIA, GORGIA + a dozen more is $2.13 an hour ……..
I never really think about chain diners when I think about diners. The most popular ones around where I live are family owned diners that have been in the community for decades. I personally think they taste better but that’s probably the nostalgia. one thing I will say is the food is always consistent. it’s the same each time, hot, tasty and welcoming bcs the servers have watched everyone in town grow up.
I agree. Neighborhood diners are also usually more focused on whole ingredients, such as real butter and eggs, and lesser so the frozen/processed items mentioned in this video. But I guess that’s not every American’s experience.
Living in Syracuse NY, we had Doc's Little Gem as our go-to for ages. Then there was the fire, the remodel, the sale, the second remodel, and Doc passing away. You really can't go home again. In terms of chain diners, Waffle House over Denny's a thousand times over.
@@lizziewahlTrue while I do enjoy cheap diners I prefer the fast casul type too that go heavy on atmosphere and quality food. But I must admit my mainstay is wafflehouse because it's always there.
Post covid all of the good diners in my city stopped being open late and never resumed since. I never realized until it was gone how integral having a place my friends and I can be for long periods of time at any time of day or night was. Especially as a working class person who has to work irregular and often very late hours, it made living in my city feel almost hostile or alienating without 24 hour establishments present. Like almost no public venue existed where I could spend the time I had after work. I kind of just had to go straight home and wait for the next day to start. I think 24 hour diners are straight up an integral part of the living environment in modern America, it really feels like a key part of the social environment is gone in my area.
This is an issue I’ve seen in my local city. No locations are open 24 hours now, and it leads to youth and older people having no place to go and no entertainment at night hours. I’m interested in if this leads to a rise in juvenile delinquency or depression in older individuals.
Chugging a pile of pancakes for breakfast was truly a culture shock for an Scandinavian. Took me till noon to recover and get the insulin to balance after a pile of chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP.
I assume this was a while ago, but in case somebody didn’t tell you then, belated “Welcome to America!”, it wouldn’t be the same without diabetes in a plate! 😂
Yeah - it does look like a hell of lot of pure carbs to start your day with. I'm British and our traditional fry-ups are certainly high-calorie, but at least there's quite a lot of protein in there.
My dad told me there are 2 kind of business that's always working: first is transportation, 2nd is food. Things always need to be shipped, and people always need to eat, so by chance if u can offer something tasty at reasonable price, the business can thrive
They can call themselves a diner, but they're a corporation. They will never compare to locally owned diners WITH a passionate owner/team. Corporate food will always have a soullessness to it. It's about profits first, not food.
We have a diner in my hometown that's been here for 70 years. I was so terrified covid was going to put them out of business since no one went out to eat. But their customers were determined to keep them around so when they ordered, picked up and followed covid protocols still. I'm so happy they survived and continue to thrive!
I work in Pharmacueticals and would really love to see you do a video on Pfizer, CVS, Walgreens, J&J, or Merck. It’s a really interesting industry but rarely do we as workers really understand where the company is going and if it’s profitable or sustainable at all especially with Amazon Pharmacy and medical on the rise. Please please please consider this idea. I’m sure alot of people would find it interesting!
I was a cook at Denny's when the Grand Slams were $1.99 (1981-82 ish). People waited around the block on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I started that job thinking I'd be dreaming about hamburgers. I ended up dreaming about pancakes instead. I was 20 yrs old, worked the graveyard shift. My manager was a knucklehead, albeit a nice one. He was not allowed in my kitchen when I was the lead cook on shift. Those were the best of times. Best thing bout Denny's... never had to break down the kitchen on a daily basis. I can' t imagine having to do that much cleaning everyday.
I’ve always said that I’m not that bothered about visiting USA for its tourist attractions like Statue or Liberty or Hollywood, but I would love to eat my way across that country: pancakes, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs - it all looks soooo freakin good 🤤
Well if your expectations are too high maybe you're not going to be impressed but it's really good food I recommend Waffle House for that authentic Diner experience just remember to go on a weekday cuz they're always packed on the weekends
@@deltoid77-nickI personally would go for Dennys but it definitely isn't quite as traditional as a Waffle House. It's also worth mentioning you might not be able to find Waffle House depending on where you are, since as I recently learned it's a regional chain.
The Diner's are really just the tip of the iceberg the US has a crazy unique food culture due to us having so many different cultures bringing their own twists. Pizza, Diners, some great regional fast food, some crazy good Americanized Chinese food as well as authentic in the right spots. You could easily go on a couple week culinary vacation in the states.
I can’t recommend more the book “Egg, Bacon, Chips and Beans” where a guy wrote about 50 most prominent UK diners with a huge analysis on what makes them unique.
I lived in the UK for 2 years and never saw a diner unless you Include "Ed's Easy Diner" which a fake, manufactured thing-- even if I love their Cheese Fries!!
I'm still confused as to how cracker barrel is a diner. This video was great and very interesting! I was surprised to see cracker barrel included. As you mentioned, they aren't open late, they source ingredients using a different model, they serve alcohol, they are half retail store, there are so many ways they differ from diners. I am wondering what led you to include them in this diner based essay?
I think Bob Evans would have made a better inclusion than Cracker Barrel, but Cracker Barrel does still have much of the same offerings as other diners, they just go a bit deeper into non breakfast as well. There's a bit of overlap I think between comfort food and breakfast establishments, where something like Dennys is 75/25 breakfast something like Cracker Barrel is 75/25 comfort. But ultimately when I think diner I think of two things, a come as you are atmosphere and always offered breakfast. Cracker Barrel hits both of those criteria.
I love these restaurant based episodes. I find something fascinating about talking about the restaurant industry, their operations, their margins, etc.
I'm not a cheese person but I love a ham, cheese and onion omelet with hash browns and toast. For years I tried duplicating the taste and couldnt do it no matter which cheddar cheese I used. And then one day when I had the craving for an omelet, the only 'cheese' in the fridge was Kraft singles. The first bite was like angels singing. Who knew the cheapest, most disgusting cheese food was the taste I needed?!
I feel like IHOP has severely underexplored the International part of their branding. The same ingredients can be whipped up in varying ways to make many European, Asian, African, or South American styles of pancakes
European here. 2 biig hurdles to overcome: 1/ food standards if you want to import your proprietary pancake mix containing eggs and dairy; and 2/ there are already a gazillion places to eat sweet and savoury pancakes, crêpes and waffles,those are European food items. The value proposition of a brand like IHOP in Europe is far from obvious. You'd only be importing the diner concept and it's not going to get commercial traction
@@TheVinsterI actually love Japanese's Denny's! The Hamburg steak is so good, the pancakes are fluffier and less sweet, and the overall food quality and atmosphere is much better than the US stores.
the parts of africa i know aren't too fond of pancakes, savoury proteins only would do and kfc, mr biggs and mc donalds already does those along with native restaurants, as for europe, as the previous comment said, the market is oversaturated, people are more likely to by a local crepe than a dennys pancake or waffle,
I feel like people misread this comment. I think they meant IHOP in the US could serve Chinese scallion pancakes, or other international versions of pancakes with minimal effort and possibly broader appeal.
@@emilysha418 it would be competing with well known pastry brands in china or any other country, it'd have to be either real cheap like mc donalds or some other gimmick to entice people, i can't see it working, i wouldn't visit an ihop when i have my local eateries, i visit mc donalds for cheapness, and kfc gives chicken in buckets, only a victorian themed luxury pancake shop would do well near me (ROI)
i’ve eaten a lot of burgers. it’s my favorite food. i’ve had some expensive and decadent burgers that i would KILL to simply eat again, but my favorite burger costs less than $10 from a diner. it’s really not that good, and i’ve obviously had better. but the atmosphere and the nostalgia of it makes it taste so much better than anything i’ve ever had before.
It's kinda crazy. I'm half german, living IN Germany, and even I feel the sentimental nostalgic aura of a diner to the point where i want to go to one and have some food after watching this...
As a person that isn't living in USA I have just found out that this kind of dinner is so good . No discrimination, cheaper and I will also believe nice quality food . Ppl from white or blue collar or eat the same . Sits right beside each other.. something in USA is I believe quite rare
There’s more to the ‘diner style’ restaurant than the menu. The reliability is nice, especially in the chains, because, if you’re traveling and not yet at your destination, you’re most likely going to look for something quick and not far off the expressway for a meal where you can sit for an hour or so. All the major chains do this. But one of the biggest things, whether chain or local is the social aspect. Go to any of these and you’ll probably find the same (group of) people there daily or at least once a week. ‘Family style’ restaurants often take the place of talking to your neighbor over the fence or on the phone.
Maybe places like Denny's and Cracker Barrel use all that premade stuff. A really good New Jersey Greek diner does its own baking, makes its own home fries, uses yesterday's sandwich corned beef to make today's corned beef hash, and so on.
It's not any better in Ottawa. Even the Denny's here only opens 8-8 since the rona. For 24/7 we have Zak's Diner which is nasty garbage, and Elgin Street Diner which is very mid - each is located in a different busy bar/pub area thriving on drunken fools and gullible tourists.
An interesting personal experience with the IHOP restaurants. Almost always if you decide to check out a new location, you need to know if this is a "good" IHOP. Essentially, the brand has earned such a reputation, the franchisees are better off without any association with them
All low cost chain restaurants are like that. Certain subways seem to serve brown lettuce often rather than scrapping it. Certain McDonald's and burger kings will serve items that sat in the warmer too long or try to reheat old fries for 30 seconds instead of throwing them out and cooking fresh. At some point when those individual businesses decided to strongly target budget customers they allowed their standards to slip considerably.
Huge miss not covering Waffle House. Denny’s was already mostly dead here pre-Covid, Cracker Barrel plods along with their highway interchange model and zero growth in decades here, and IHOP lost over half their locations here permanently during Covid. The only ones that stayed 24/7 here were Waffle House and Dennys. Waffle House took the hit on their menu which is 1/3 the size it once was. They never brought back numerous items after supply chain menu reductions. That said, they operated throughout as allowed by law.
Diners are my favorite restaurants. We’re so lucky to have one close by. Our diner is especially good because it has traditional American foods and Greek ones! In my opinion, IHOP, Denny’s and other chains aren’t diners. They’re chain restaurants. Diners are owner-operated and kind of small.
Diners in usa seems to be similar to ढाबा concept in india. A relaxed highway side eatery with tasty veg and non veg food prepared with lot of butter...
This could be the best industry explainer video channel in the history of youtube. The completeness and detail, with its ever so slight cynicism, makes this channel an absolute delight. I'm happy to have bell iconed this channel over a year ago and it has yet to disappoint.
I live in central pennsylvania, and chain restaurants period struggle here. There are so many mom and pop restaurants here and so many dives and hole-in-walls that no big business restaurants survive more than 20 years or so. Some of our oldest restaurants are over a hundred years old.
I never would have considered Cracker Barrel a diner until now! But I guess it's got all the usual diner classics, just fluffed up a bit with an olde-timey aesthetic. Would've appreciated a look at Waffle House, as that's probably the dinery-est diner I can think of besides Denny's. I have to assume WH just goes for the "everything as cheap as possible" approach you described at the start with not too much marketing budget. I don't think I've ever seen an ad for them, yet they survive regardless. Now I want some hash browns.
And yet when they imported these brands (Denny's, IHOP) to the Philippines, the business model is opposite of what made these successful over in the US: Overpriced and inaccessible, masquerading as "high-end" restos despite their mediocre offerings that you can literally make yourself at home. IMO they failed at importing and localizing the diner concept, instead catering to the pretentious local bougies. Ironic, really.
So happy to see two of my favorite restaurants featured in the background here. Bob’s Big Boy 0:22 and the Halfway House 0:54. The latter of which is featured in many films and television.
I thought Waffle House was missing too. They are on every corner in the South. I’m not sure about other regions in the country, it is the quintessential 24 hr diner.
Diners are also regional. In California and the West, a diner is usually referred to as a coffee shop (Dennys, Bobs Big Boy as opposed to Starbucks, which is a coffee house).
Most of the diner scenes were recorded at Black Bear Diner. I recognize the decor. I’ve been at those restaurants throughout California a plethora of times.
Fun fact; Cracker Barrel is the only one of the three that hasn’t gone bankrupt at some point. Denny’s went bankrupt in 1997 after a load of leveraged buyouts and IHOP went bankrupt in the 70’s due to running multiple failing restaurants and again in 2020 due to the pandemic.
>IHOP remained stagnant and focused on pancakes And that's a good thing! I will never go to a diner for a burger and nuggets, I go there to eat pancakes/waffles/french toast.
From working at Cracker Barrel for years they make everything from scratch you pointed out that all diners use ready to make foods ihop and dennys may Cracker Barrel does not and it’s actually more beneficial to make everything from scratch as the raw ingredients are cheaper to buy individually
Denny's has a much different model in Canada. The prices are far more than what you would expect to pay at other chains of diners. They tend to be attached to a budget hotel. The staff focuses on a "cheery" attitude bordering on insane rather than competency. Few operate 24 hours a day. Which is odd when attached to a hotel. You would think they would have bored guests looking for somewhere to hang out. Or travelers pulling off the side of the road at all hours.
Covid made the local diner in my town no longer 24 hours (closed as early as 9:30 pm) and it made me so sad!! It was always my friend group’s go-to for midnight eats. There is something so satisfying about diner food in the middle of the night that no other late-night food option can replicate
I love coming from NJ, the heart and soul of the diner. I can think of so many good ones right around me and I love them. Of note, the big 3 chains all EXIST in NJ, but always kinda struggle cause there are just so many wonderful mom and pop places.(and the secret is, when you have been here long enough, you start to get a feel what each is good at, this one might make better chicken, that one may have awesome soups and sandwiches, another one may be great desserts, and you kinda decide what you wanna focus on and choose accordingly)
I cannot watch lengthy TH-cam videos even about my most favorite things in the world but you make these 30 minute videos so fucking easy to watch I have watched one every day after work the past few weeks
I feel like you should’ve clarified this video is about corporatized diner chains. I was looking forward to a video breaking down the economics of a family owned diner with roots in its neighborhood but this is basically another fast food franchise video but “diner” themed. I sincerely hope people realize Denny’s and IHOP are just co-opting the identity of a diner and go support real mom and pop diners in their communities.
Also, chain restaurants = NOT A DINER, and that includes Waffle House!!! A true diner is independent and local. Most of the United States has no clue what constitutes a real diner.
Family-owned diners are a big thing here in northeast Wisconsin. Sure, there's a Denny's and an IHOP in town but the diners are better. Decent food, large portions, consistency, and good service.
Right? Cracker Barrel is really not like the others. You only find them off an interstate exit, never ever downtown or in the city. They are a sit down, take your time kind of service. Nothing like waffle house
Exactly, and this guy is an MBA LOL! Seriously, Cracker is more like other box restaurants like Olive Garden, Sizzler, Red Lobster, Red Robbin, Chilies, Texas Roadhouse, etc. Waffle House would be a "dinner" box example.
I like how there is no obnoxious music in the background. it seems to be the case that every videos nowadays has music blasting louder than the person speaking for some reason
I'm wondering how much of the premade bag food applies only to big diner chains. I don't remember smaller diners like Pamelas using only premade stuff.
Cracker Barrel's not a diner. Also, any diner serving pre packaged salads will go under in the first year, that pre-packed food from the commercial food suppliers is too expensive.
WAFFLE 👏 HOUSE 👏 NEEDS 👏 PANCAKES!!!! thats the only reason dennys is still #1 for me. also their discount polenta is something i miss now. its the ONLY thing i miss about the south 🙃
Only thing missing is waffle house! Which from experience is essentially Denny’s but even cheaper and the bathroom probably has someone passed out over the bowl
In an industry where everything is constantly changing it's essential to have an anchor where you can go and know what to expect and that the service and food is always good.
💸Build wealth better with your own dedicated financial advisor and try Domain risk-free for 30 days: dmnmny.co/modernmba
0:00 A Culinary & Cultural Oasis
6:43 America's Diner
15:50 Old Country Roads
21:35 Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity
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At eighty bucks a month it's a hard pass for Domain Money. I'm not with all these financial apps. Too much fraud going on in Silicon Valley. I ain't trusting these people with my hard earned cheddar.
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A
Ah yes, spend $79/month for basic info you can get by googling basic financial responsibility. f* off with that.
I would love to see a deep dive like this on American Chinese restaurants and the invisible connections that fosters uniformity amongst so many completely unrelated businesses.
Great Idea! Hope he does this one, or maybe US Thai Restaurants as they have a government program to spread thai cuisine and have a similar uniformity across regions.
Most of the “American Chinese” restaurants you’re referring to are Cantonese. Not authentic but mostly from one region of China
I need the answer as to why so many Chinese buffets have bananas in red sauce
@@jeffersonye7572I figured it was just because Americans love sweet shit… and sweet and sour sauce is the bastardized version of duck sauce
Yes!!!
I own a little diner, it’s in the middle of nowhere and has been a diner for over 40 years. I’m the sixth owner of this restaurant and it has been a good challenge.
Super good work your doing!
keep bangin
@@JasperKlijndijk thanks
@@miguelmejia4656 oh I am, if I don’t, it’ll bang me!
Man the US runs on diners out in the middle of nowhere I know that it saved my fathers sanity when he was a trucker being able to stop off at a little shop out in the middle of the country somewhere and chat with the fry cook over a coffee. Keep it going man.
I deeply miss having 24-hour diners in Germany. They were among my favorite things about the US. Working irregular shifts often meant limited options for food after work. In Germany, if you don't have a 9-to-5 job, you feel quite left out because EVERYTHING is setup to serve 9to5 job customers when it comes to opening times. Even the supermarkets aren't open after a night shift most of the time. But when I visited the United States and arrived in Austin at 4am, being able to enjoy a lovely meal and coffee before our 3-hour drive was an unparalleled experience. Also because its so often shown on TV series or movies made in the US. I dont know why it is so special to me, but knowing you can go to a diner 24h a day is just awesome.
It's available for 24hrs because of the $2.13 per hr minimum wage in the US. The rest is expected to be supplemented by tips. It's not possible in other developed countries.
@@wigglyk2796 Ain't no one is getting $2.13 an hour
@@wigglyk2796 All servers are entitled to the state minimum wage, even though their pay is technically only a few dollars per hour, their employers are required to make-up the difference if it falls short.
@@theblackswordsman9951servers are because federal minimum wage is different if you make tips. I think legally you can make half the minimum wage + tips. ACTUALLY I just googled it.
Minimum wage for servers in TEXAS , UTAH , TN , VIRGINIA, GORGIA + a dozen more is $2.13 an hour ……..
@@miki77YTinteresting. I've never heard this fact
I never really think about chain diners when I think about diners. The most popular ones around where I live are family owned diners that have been in the community for decades. I personally think they taste better but that’s probably the nostalgia. one thing I will say is the food is always consistent. it’s the same each time, hot, tasty and welcoming bcs the servers have watched everyone in town grow up.
I agree. Neighborhood diners are also usually more focused on whole ingredients, such as real butter and eggs, and lesser so the frozen/processed items mentioned in this video. But I guess that’s not every American’s experience.
Yeah, none of these are what I, a lifelong upstate New Yorker, would think of as a diner.
Living in Syracuse NY, we had Doc's Little Gem as our go-to for ages. Then there was the fire, the remodel, the sale, the second remodel, and Doc passing away. You really can't go home again.
In terms of chain diners, Waffle House over Denny's a thousand times over.
That is also what I imagine when I think of diners from seeing them on tv
@@lizziewahlTrue while I do enjoy cheap diners I prefer the fast casul type too that go heavy on atmosphere and quality food. But I must admit my mainstay is wafflehouse because it's always there.
Post covid all of the good diners in my city stopped being open late and never resumed since. I never realized until it was gone how integral having a place my friends and I can be for long periods of time at any time of day or night was. Especially as a working class person who has to work irregular and often very late hours, it made living in my city feel almost hostile or alienating without 24 hour establishments present. Like almost no public venue existed where I could spend the time I had after work. I kind of just had to go straight home and wait for the next day to start. I think 24 hour diners are straight up an integral part of the living environment in modern America, it really feels like a key part of the social environment is gone in my area.
Stop trying to pass off the decreased social life theory as your own.
@@kendi1417No one did that
This is an issue I’ve seen in my local city. No locations are open 24 hours now, and it leads to youth and older people having no place to go and no entertainment at night hours. I’m interested in if this leads to a rise in juvenile delinquency or depression in older individuals.
@@syntheticfox_real lmao here's a tip: how about not being an incel?
@@syntheticfox_reallmao um wtf did you say
Chugging a pile of pancakes for breakfast was truly a culture shock for an Scandinavian. Took me till noon to recover and get the insulin to balance after a pile of chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP.
I assume this was a while ago, but in case somebody didn’t tell you then, belated “Welcome to America!”, it wouldn’t be the same without diabetes in a plate! 😂
@@guyonacomputer1261 😂😂
I feel this. There are full days where I am just not hungry after a large lunch/supper the evening prior. Still plenty Murica being processed.
Yeah - it does look like a hell of lot of pure carbs to start your day with. I'm British and our traditional fry-ups are certainly high-calorie, but at least there's quite a lot of protein in there.
beans for breakfast🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀@@incurableromantic4006
My dad told me there are 2 kind of business that's always working: first is transportation, 2nd is food. Things always need to be shipped, and people always need to eat, so by chance if u can offer something tasty at reasonable price, the business can thrive
Sometimes I forget that Dennys is a diner because I’m used to imagining diners as small off the beaten path mom and pop owned businesses
They can call themselves a diner, but they're a corporation. They will never compare to locally owned diners WITH a passionate owner/team. Corporate food will always have a soullessness to it. It's about profits first, not food.
We have a diner in my hometown that's been here for 70 years. I was so terrified covid was going to put them out of business since no one went out to eat. But their customers were determined to keep them around so when they ordered, picked up and followed covid protocols still. I'm so happy they survived and continue to thrive!
Aww this is great to hear!
I work in Pharmacueticals and would really love to see you do a video on Pfizer, CVS, Walgreens, J&J, or Merck. It’s a really interesting industry but rarely do we as workers really understand where the company is going and if it’s profitable or sustainable at all especially with Amazon Pharmacy and medical on the rise. Please please please consider this idea. I’m sure alot of people would find it interesting!
yes, pharma is a funky sector
Good idea!
Id love an expose on Pfizer and all the evil they committed! Especially pushing that jab on people! PURE EVIL
Big Pharm..doesn't want transparency !
looks like pharmacy business is going online or to Walmart.
I was a cook at Denny's when the Grand Slams were $1.99 (1981-82 ish). People waited around the block on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I started that job thinking I'd be dreaming about hamburgers. I ended up dreaming about pancakes instead. I was 20 yrs old, worked the graveyard shift. My manager was a knucklehead, albeit a nice one. He was not allowed in my kitchen when I was the lead cook on shift. Those were the best of times. Best thing bout Denny's... never had to break down the kitchen on a daily basis. I can' t imagine having to do that much cleaning everyday.
I love how frequently late-night drunks are referenced 😂 great business model!
Dont forget college students. Large overlap there
We are a force to be reckoned with
Price doesn't matter when it comes to drunk food
Lots of businesses make money off of late-night drunks. They tend to be kinda free-spending.
Drunks and stoners get the munchies it's just a fact XD
Born and raised in New Jersey. Living somewhere were you aren’t 10 minutes from a solid diner is such a foreign concept to me, veryyy lucky
I’ve always said that I’m not that bothered about visiting USA for its tourist attractions like Statue or Liberty or Hollywood, but I would love to eat my way across that country: pancakes, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs - it all looks soooo freakin good 🤤
Well if your expectations are too high maybe you're not going to be impressed but it's really good food I recommend Waffle House for that authentic Diner experience just remember to go on a weekday cuz they're always packed on the weekends
Ohhhhh yes. Let's do a road trip! don't forget the bbq!
@@deltoid77-nickI personally would go for Dennys but it definitely isn't quite as traditional as a Waffle House. It's also worth mentioning you might not be able to find Waffle House depending on where you are, since as I recently learned it's a regional chain.
The Diner's are really just the tip of the iceberg the US has a crazy unique food culture due to us having so many different cultures bringing their own twists. Pizza, Diners, some great regional fast food, some crazy good Americanized Chinese food as well as authentic in the right spots. You could easily go on a couple week culinary vacation in the states.
All of that stuff is equally great and just the start.
I can’t recommend more the book “Egg, Bacon, Chips and Beans” where a guy wrote about 50 most prominent UK diners with a huge analysis on what makes them unique.
I lived in the UK for 2 years and never saw a diner unless you Include "Ed's Easy Diner" which a fake, manufactured thing-- even if I love their Cheese Fries!!
I'm still confused as to how cracker barrel is a diner. This video was great and very interesting! I was surprised to see cracker barrel included. As you mentioned, they aren't open late, they source ingredients using a different model, they serve alcohol, they are half retail store, there are so many ways they differ from diners. I am wondering what led you to include them in this diner based essay?
Yeah I would classify Cracker Barrel as a "sit down restaurant" not a "diner".
Because they are frequented by road trippers, travelers, & truckers; much like a road side diner.
@@Agent.Wadsworth and don't forget old people.
Heard all of them are closing this year
I think Bob Evans would have made a better inclusion than Cracker Barrel, but Cracker Barrel does still have much of the same offerings as other diners, they just go a bit deeper into non breakfast as well. There's a bit of overlap I think between comfort food and breakfast establishments, where something like Dennys is 75/25 breakfast something like Cracker Barrel is 75/25 comfort. But ultimately when I think diner I think of two things, a come as you are atmosphere and always offered breakfast. Cracker Barrel hits both of those criteria.
I love these restaurant based episodes. I find something fascinating about talking about the restaurant industry, their operations, their margins, etc.
The restaurant industry is honestly a bit of a wild thing in general. Just based on their margins it's amazing there are as many as there are.
I think Waffle House rightfully deserves its own episode
Huddle House too.
always drove past them waffle houses but haven’t tried one yet
Just came back from a waffle house 😂
@@SeeHangif your cook and server aren’t smoking outside when you arrive, the foods not good
Genuine rage washed over me when he left out Waffle House. The type of rage that gets people in Waffle House in trouble.
Having worked at Cracker Barrel, I gotta push back. We did market pure maple syrup and real butter.
I'm not a cheese person but I love a ham, cheese and onion omelet with hash browns and toast. For years I tried duplicating the taste and couldnt do it no matter which cheddar cheese I used. And then one day when I had the craving for an omelet, the only 'cheese' in the fridge was Kraft singles. The first bite was like angels singing. Who knew the cheapest, most disgusting cheese food was the taste I needed?!
I feel like IHOP has severely underexplored the International part of their branding.
The same ingredients can be whipped up in varying ways to make many European, Asian, African, or South American styles of pancakes
European here. 2 biig hurdles to overcome: 1/ food standards if you want to import your proprietary pancake mix containing eggs and dairy; and 2/ there are already a gazillion places to eat sweet and savoury pancakes, crêpes and waffles,those are European food items. The value proposition of a brand like IHOP in Europe is far from obvious. You'd only be importing the diner concept and it's not going to get commercial traction
@@TheVinsterI actually love Japanese's Denny's! The Hamburg steak is so good, the pancakes are fluffier and less sweet, and the overall food quality and atmosphere is much better than the US stores.
the parts of africa i know aren't too fond of pancakes, savoury proteins only would do and kfc, mr biggs and mc donalds already does those along with native restaurants, as for europe, as the previous comment said, the market is oversaturated, people are more likely to by a local crepe than a dennys pancake or waffle,
I feel like people misread this comment. I think they meant IHOP in the US could serve Chinese scallion pancakes, or other international versions of pancakes with minimal effort and possibly broader appeal.
@@emilysha418 it would be competing with well known pastry brands in china or any other country, it'd have to be either real cheap like mc donalds or some other gimmick to entice people, i can't see it working, i wouldn't visit an ihop when i have my local eateries, i visit mc donalds for cheapness, and kfc gives chicken in buckets, only a victorian themed luxury pancake shop would do well near me (ROI)
i’ve eaten a lot of burgers. it’s my favorite food. i’ve had some expensive and decadent burgers that i would KILL to simply eat again, but my favorite burger costs less than $10 from a diner. it’s really not that good, and i’ve obviously had better. but the atmosphere and the nostalgia of it makes it taste so much better than anything i’ve ever had before.
It's kinda crazy. I'm half german, living IN Germany, and even I feel the sentimental nostalgic aura of a diner to the point where i want to go to one and have some food after watching this...
modernmba videos are like kryptonite for my diet. always showing me steaks, burgers, desserts... :)
Anytime I here Denny I lose my appetite
Literally just watched this because I'm on a diet and if I can't eat the food at least I wanted to look at it🥲
Just ate at a local country diner and came home to this video. Diners truly are invincible.
As a person that isn't living in USA I have just found out that this kind of dinner is so good . No discrimination, cheaper and I will also believe nice quality food . Ppl from white or blue collar or eat the same . Sits right beside each other.. something in USA is I believe quite rare
These are NOT American diners - these are chain restaurants that call themselves diners. To try an actual diner, you would need to visit NY or NJ
There’s more to the ‘diner style’ restaurant than the menu. The reliability is nice, especially in the chains, because, if you’re traveling and not yet at your destination, you’re most likely going to look for something quick and not far off the expressway for a meal where you can sit for an hour or so. All the major chains do this. But one of the biggest things, whether chain or local is the social aspect. Go to any of these and you’ll probably find the same (group of) people there daily or at least once a week. ‘Family style’ restaurants often take the place of talking to your neighbor over the fence or on the phone.
Maybe places like Denny's and Cracker Barrel use all that premade stuff. A really good New Jersey Greek diner does its own baking, makes its own home fries, uses yesterday's sandwich corned beef to make today's corned beef hash, and so on.
Correct.
I really wish we had more late night and 24/7 "third places" here in Atlantic Canada. There's hardly any convenience store, much less diners open 24/7
It's not any better in Ottawa. Even the Denny's here only opens 8-8 since the rona. For 24/7 we have Zak's Diner which is nasty garbage, and Elgin Street Diner which is very mid - each is located in a different busy bar/pub area thriving on drunken fools and gullible tourists.
@@BillLambert I love the restaurants and diners in downtown Ottawa. Not as nice as in Montreal, but far better than Hamilton and much of Toronto.
An interesting personal experience with the IHOP restaurants. Almost always if you decide to check out a new location, you need to know if this is a "good" IHOP.
Essentially, the brand has earned such a reputation, the franchisees are better off without any association with them
All low cost chain restaurants are like that. Certain subways seem to serve brown lettuce often rather than scrapping it. Certain McDonald's and burger kings will serve items that sat in the warmer too long or try to reheat old fries for 30 seconds instead of throwing them out and cooking fresh. At some point when those individual businesses decided to strongly target budget customers they allowed their standards to slip considerably.
Huge miss not covering Waffle House. Denny’s was already mostly dead here pre-Covid, Cracker Barrel plods along with their highway interchange model and zero growth in decades here, and IHOP lost over half their locations here permanently during Covid.
The only ones that stayed 24/7 here were Waffle House and Dennys. Waffle House took the hit on their menu which is 1/3 the size it once was. They never brought back numerous items after supply chain menu reductions. That said, they operated throughout as allowed by law.
Out of curiosity, where is "here" in your case? In the South right?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Waffle House is getting its own video tbh
They still have the whole menu, you just have to ask for it.
I think your next restaurant video should be about casual restaurants like Applebee’s, Olive Garden, red lobster, etc.
If I'm not served a plate of slimy eggs, sugary pancakes, and greasy bacon by some sleepless cigarette scented grandma named Flo then I don't want it
So early the title is just “English (Official)”
Same
I really saw the thumbnail and thought this was about the blandness of an English Breakfast.
Same
Sheesh
Diners are my favorite restaurants. We’re so lucky to have one close by. Our diner is especially good because it has traditional American foods and Greek ones! In my opinion, IHOP, Denny’s and other chains aren’t diners. They’re chain restaurants. Diners are owner-operated and kind of small.
Diners in usa seems to be similar to ढाबा concept in india.
A relaxed highway side eatery with tasty veg and non veg food prepared with lot of butter...
What kind of food do they serve in India
@@Bell_plejdo568p they serve very tasty food in India.
Harold Balder
pass
This could be the best industry explainer video channel in the history of youtube. The completeness and detail, with its ever so slight cynicism, makes this channel an absolute delight. I'm happy to have bell iconed this channel over a year ago and it has yet to disappoint.
I know i never thought I’d seek this kind of content out. It’s that good
I live in central pennsylvania, and chain restaurants period struggle here. There are so many mom and pop restaurants here and so many dives and hole-in-walls that no big business restaurants survive more than 20 years or so.
Some of our oldest restaurants are over a hundred years old.
"Nostalgia is a fragile currency that will always be worth more in your head than in your stomach."
BRILLIANT OBSERVATION.
Cracker Barrel is not a diner. I'll die on this hill.
the other brands lean into the 50s diner nostalgia. cracker barrel leans into 19th century nostalgia lol
Would you consider doing a video on Oil Change shops?
Like Jiffy Lube, Take 5, Valvoline, etc.
I’ve never been to a Cracker Barrel, but I’ll always appreciate them for being the first chain to install EV quick chargers way back in 2011.
They Mac n cheese is good
I never would have considered Cracker Barrel a diner until now! But I guess it's got all the usual diner classics, just fluffed up a bit with an olde-timey aesthetic. Would've appreciated a look at Waffle House, as that's probably the dinery-est diner I can think of besides Denny's. I have to assume WH just goes for the "everything as cheap as possible" approach you described at the start with not too much marketing budget. I don't think I've ever seen an ad for them, yet they survive regardless. Now I want some hash browns.
Why is Cracker Barrel anywhere remotely near a conversation about diners? Cracker Barrel is a diner like I'm a billionaire
Its comfort food... cheap, filling, friendly
The amount of variety on diners menus never ceases to amaze me. Long live the good ol' American diner!
This video does a great disservice to the reputation of the American diner.
Could you explain?
And yet when they imported these brands (Denny's, IHOP) to the Philippines, the business model is opposite of what made these successful over in the US: Overpriced and inaccessible, masquerading as "high-end" restos despite their mediocre offerings that you can literally make yourself at home. IMO they failed at importing and localizing the diner concept, instead catering to the pretentious local bougies. Ironic, really.
our own local dinner equivalent are Pares joints.
I think they are targeting expats and tourists.
So happy to see two of my favorite restaurants featured in the background here. Bob’s Big Boy 0:22 and the Halfway House 0:54. The latter of which is featured in many films and television.
Any day with a new Modern MBA is a fantastic day!
I do NOT feel that Cracker Barrel is a diner. It's a country style restaurant. Waffle House is missing from the list!
I thought Waffle House was missing too. They are on every corner in the South. I’m not sure about other regions in the country, it is the quintessential 24 hr diner.
Yep waffle house is fire
Diners are also regional. In California and the West, a diner is usually referred to as a coffee shop (Dennys, Bobs Big Boy as opposed to Starbucks, which is a coffee house).
Most of the diner scenes were recorded at Black Bear Diner. I recognize the decor. I’ve been at those restaurants throughout California a plethora of times.
Covid definitely changed the dinner. Our Dennys has closed. Our local dinner now closes at 10.
Breakfast in american diners look so appetizing, I wanna go there just to eat at a diner
Hence why were fat as fuck here. Its homie
Fun fact; Cracker Barrel is the only one of the three that hasn’t gone bankrupt at some point. Denny’s went bankrupt in 1997 after a load of leveraged buyouts and IHOP went bankrupt in the 70’s due to running multiple failing restaurants and again in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Pretty much all diners respect their customers and a lot of the really good ones are family owned. Also, some diners do serve homemade or fresh food.
_All night diners, keep you awake - On black coffee - And a hard roll_
- James Brown, Living in America
No one beats a proper 24/7 dennys. Its had my back plenty of times and their 2 4 6 8 dollar menu is god tier. My fav is the santa fe skillet 🍳
>IHOP remained stagnant and focused on pancakes
And that's a good thing! I will never go to a diner for a burger and nuggets, I go there to eat pancakes/waffles/french toast.
Another upload from Modern MBA = another good day
From working at Cracker Barrel for years they make everything from scratch you pointed out that all diners use ready to make foods ihop and dennys may Cracker Barrel does not and it’s actually more beneficial to make everything from scratch as the raw ingredients are cheaper to buy individually
what a great 27 minutes of a dude mostly just listing various things in an “V, W, X, Y, and Z” format
RIP Ed's Dinner in South San Francisco, CA. A real gem with some history to it.
Denny's has a much different model in Canada. The prices are far more than what you would expect to pay at other chains of diners. They tend to be attached to a budget hotel. The staff focuses on a "cheery" attitude bordering on insane rather than competency. Few operate 24 hours a day. Which is odd when attached to a hotel. You would think they would have bored guests looking for somewhere to hang out. Or travelers pulling off the side of the road at all hours.
We lost our local Denny’s, but gained a local diner chain soon after.
Cracker Barrel is NOT a diner.
what is it then? genuinely asking, not american
Those of us in the northern part of the east coast DO NOT consider Denny's, IHOP or Cracker Barrel diners.
please never stop making videos
"Nostalgia is a fragile currency that will always be worth more in your head than in your stomach"
Absolute banger
Would very much like a comparison video against traditional mom and pop diners, to supplement this. Thanks!
Watching this as a hungover student hits different
Invincible? They’re disappearing all over. In my neck of the woods, almost all of them close at 3:00 pm.
Covid made the local diner in my town no longer 24 hours (closed as early as 9:30 pm) and it made me so sad!! It was always my friend group’s go-to for midnight eats. There is something so satisfying about diner food in the middle of the night that no other late-night food option can replicate
As an argentinian i can say that i would love to go to the us just to see how cool cracker barrel is
Do yourself a favor and go to Waffle House instead
I love coming from NJ, the heart and soul of the diner. I can think of so many good ones right around me and I love them. Of note, the big 3 chains all EXIST in NJ, but always kinda struggle cause there are just so many wonderful mom and pop places.(and the secret is, when you have been here long enough, you start to get a feel what each is good at, this one might make better chicken, that one may have awesome soups and sandwiches, another one may be great desserts, and you kinda decide what you wanna focus on and choose accordingly)
Feeding mostly processed carbs to swaths of sedentary people is so invincible a business model that you thrive despite killing your customer base.
🤡
You can walk into a diner and see 90 year old people enjoying a good life and a good meal.
@@kendi1417 focusing on exceptions doesn't change reality.
I cannot watch lengthy TH-cam videos even about my most favorite things in the world but you make these 30 minute videos so fucking easy to watch I have watched one every day after work the past few weeks
I feel like you should’ve clarified this video is about corporatized diner chains. I was looking forward to a video breaking down the economics of a family owned diner with roots in its neighborhood but this is basically another fast food franchise video but “diner” themed. I sincerely hope people realize Denny’s and IHOP are just co-opting the identity of a diner and go support real mom and pop diners in their communities.
In New Jersey, diners are independent-run and usually by large hard-working Greek families!
🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
Most of this guy's videos are him listing things. If you cut out his lists, you've got a decent TH-cam short.
I’ve been seeing so many car washes pop up recently. A video explaining the economics behind those would be really interesting
Just try to watch this and resist the urge to go out to breakfast! Great video, and great thumbnail!
stuffing my face at ihop the morning after a long night of drinking was sometimes the best part
Also, chain restaurants = NOT A DINER, and that includes Waffle House!!! A true diner is independent and local. Most of the United States has no clue what constitutes a real diner.
Family-owned diners are a big thing here in northeast Wisconsin. Sure, there's a Denny's and an IHOP in town but the diners are better. Decent food, large portions, consistency, and good service.
Waffle House seems like it would have fit better than Cracker Barrel
Right? Cracker Barrel is really not like the others. You only find them off an interstate exit, never ever downtown or in the city. They are a sit down, take your time kind of service. Nothing like waffle house
Exactly, and this guy is an MBA LOL!
Seriously, Cracker is more like other box restaurants like Olive Garden, Sizzler, Red Lobster, Red Robbin, Chilies, Texas Roadhouse, etc.
Waffle House would be a "dinner" box example.
Who is overrated
I like how there is no obnoxious music in the background. it seems to be the case that every videos nowadays has music blasting louder than the person speaking for some reason
Haha did this guy just call Denny's a "diner"
I wouldn't be dragged dead into a Denny's. Your premise is about 10 years stale...
I'm wondering how much of the premade bag food applies only to big diner chains. I don't remember smaller diners like Pamelas using only premade stuff.
Cracker Barrel's not a diner. Also, any diner serving pre packaged salads will go under in the first year, that pre-packed food from the commercial food suppliers is too expensive.
WAFFLE 👏 HOUSE 👏 NEEDS 👏 PANCAKES!!!!
thats the only reason dennys is still #1 for me. also their discount polenta is something i miss now. its the ONLY thing i miss about the south 🙃
this is the perfect kind of video to have on in the background while I work on art. thanks.
Only thing missing is waffle house! Which from experience is essentially Denny’s but even cheaper and the bathroom probably has someone passed out over the bowl
In an industry where everything is constantly changing it's essential to have an anchor where you can go and know what to expect and that the service and food is always good.
Diners are the OG safe space. Idk how to explain it, but other than 3 am waffle house drunk fights, it just feels like home.
Ghost kitchens operating out of well known restaurants is a deep dive within itself. It’s just so interesting to me!
These arent diners. They're McDiners.
Love your case studies