The Classic American Diner

Post by qazxcvbnmlp » Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 5:29 PM UTC

hackermailman wrote: post #136

There's a well run diner here beside the courts and because they have booths which are a little more private than tables it's always full of lawyers with clients or architects with builders that need space to lay out plans. It's always some professionals utilizing the whole table. Many armed sheriffs too so there is always security. It's run like a Michelin star restaurant the second you are out of water someone is t…

Post by triage8004 » Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC

jldugger wrote: post #67

dylan604 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These prices adjusted for today's value seem off though. I'm guessing you'd be hard pressed to find a diner burger for $5.14 anywhere. No, fast food joints are not the same here and not part of this discussion. Where is the discrepancy? I've never really trusted these "adjusted for inflation" type numbers. I'm not an economist so I have no idea how they are calculated, but they've always just felt off to me. Usually,…

Well, the $5.14 figure is using the generalized inflation number derived by tracking the price of a specific basket of goods over time, across the entire country. This is a reasonable number to pick. If you narrow down to Food for all Urban Consumers[1], it shifts to more like $5.24. If you look at "Food away from home in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, urban wage earners and clerical workers, not seasonally a…

Post by ButlerianJihad » Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 5:54 AM UTC

mauvehaus wrote: post #114

armadsen wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eddie Rocket's is an Irish chain of American diners. I've eaten there in Dublin. Although at least that location is downtown, and in a bigger building, not a classic diner style building. The inside is very much American Diner themed with vinyl seats, chrome, jukebox controls at the table, and of course the menu of burgers, fries, shakes, etc. https://www.eddierockets.ie

It's reassuring in a vague, indescribable way to know that while the Irish are exporting Irish pubs to the USA, we're exporting diners to Ireland. Like, maybe they're passing each other somewhere over the Atlantic, and giving each other a friendly nod as they go along their respective journeys.

Post by jen729w » Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 1:42 AM UTC

dugmartin wrote: post #151

jen729w wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd love someone to build a tool that shows the price of that burger, say, and breaks it down to the input cost. Burger: $5.00 ---------------- Meat: $0.20 Bun: $0.05 Staff: $0.25 Insurance: $4.50

I've heard the rule of thumb in a well run restaurant business is 30/30/30/10: 1. 30% food costs 2. 30% labor costs 3. 30% overhead 4. 10% profit margin

Post by listenallyall » Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 3:53 PM UTC

TrueSlacker0 wrote: post #149

listenallyall wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with this model is that the staff and insurance are essentially fixed costs, so if they sell 500 burgers on Saturday but only 250 on Tuesday, then the insurance cost-per-burger on Tues is double what it is on Sat. Staffing might increase by an extra body or two on the busy days but won't double, so it also has a much higher cost-per-burger on Tues. I am not a restauranteur, just a customer (and observer)…

Insurance is not a fixed cost. Property and auto insurance are, but liability is a percentage of sales, its fixed for a year then adjusted for next years planned sales.