The golden age of the diner has passed. Today, they are seen mostly in period movies from the 1940s and '50s. Diners come from a time when spaghetti was seen as daring dining.
Diners are so out that retro-diners have made a brief but largely unsuccessful comeback.
But if you look closely, you'll find that authentic diners continue to dot the Central Coast landscape. I remember when Grand Avenue was nothin' but eucalyptus trees. I worked for Goldie here in this cafe before I bought the place. Heck, I remember when Highway 101 was where Traffic Way runs now. She concludes with a nod out the front window of Lil's Kozy Kitchen, the small diner triangulated by Traffic Way and Nelson and Bridge streets in Arroyo Grande.