5 & Diner, a ’50s-themed restaurant franchise, is looking to cash in on nostalgia for a simpler, more prosperous era.
In the 1950s, the diner was a mainstay in American culture. The establishment was a place where teens and families came to eat burgers and fries, pot roast, and milkshakes. It was the center of social activity as jukeboxes played and open seating was designed to encourage socialization.
“We’re trying to make America a happier place and that’s what 5 & Diner is about,” CEO Bob Watson says. “I tell customers all the time we are rebuilding America one milkshake at a time.”
It’s in this way that 5 & Diner, which currently has 12 restaurants, plans to grab a larger piece of the so-called family dining industry. It’s a big, if slowly growing restaurant sector, reaching $34 billion in annual sales last year.