Vintage photos show what it was like to eat at a diner in the 1950s

• Nothing is more quintessentially American than a '50s-style diner.
• Diners, which were originally referred to as "lunch cars," first emerged in the 1920s.
• By the '50s, they had grown in popularity due to their low prices, large menus, and extended hours.

Once the go-to hangout spot for American teens and a symbol of opportunity for small business owners, diners are one of the most beloved remnants of mid-century America.

Scattered across the country, diners come in many shapes and forms, from roadside railcar-style establishments to tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurants in the country's biggest cities.