Franks Diner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Franks Diner |
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Franks Diner in 2015
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| Restaurant information | |
| Food type | American |
| City | Kenosha |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 42°35′01″N 087°49′03″W / 42.58361°N 87.81750°W |
Franks Diner is a super cool, old-fashioned diner located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It's a special kind of restaurant called a "lunch car diner." This means it was built like a train car! Franks Diner has been serving yummy food for a very long time.
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What Makes Franks Diner Special?
This cozy diner can seat about 55 people. When you visit, you'll notice lots of funny sayings posted all over the walls. One famous one is, "Order what you want, eat what you get."
But the most famous thing about Franks Diner is its special dish: the Garbage Plate. It's a huge and delicious meal! Imagine a big omelette cooked with hash browns (tasty fried potatoes) and different kinds of meat all mixed together. It's a favorite for many customers!
The History of Franks Diner
How the Diner Arrived in Kenosha
The diner building was made in Bayonne, New Jersey, way back in 1926. After it was built, it traveled a long way! It was put on a special train car called a flat car and sent to Kenosha.
Once it arrived, six horses had to pull it to its spot downtown. This spot is very close to the beautiful Lake Michigan. Anthony Franks was the person who started the diner. He learned about this restaurant idea from a magazine. He paid $7,500 for the diner itself and an extra $325 to ship it. That was a lot of money back then!
Changes Over the Years
For many years, the diner looked pretty much the same. The original part of the diner had an open grill and a counter with 17 stools where people could sit.
Later, some parts were added to make it bigger. In 1935, a small dining room was built, which now has seven booths. Then, in the mid-1940s, a larger kitchen was added.
The Franks family owned and ran the diner for a very long time, until 2001. That's when they sold it to Lynn Groleau, Chris Schwartz, and Kris Derwae. Later, in 2006, Kris Derwae sold her part to Lynn and Chris.
In December 2010, Kevin Ervin and Julie Rittmiller bought the diner. They said they wanted to keep Franks Diner just the way it was, without making big changes to how it operates.
Restoring the Diner's Look
Since 2001, many parts of Franks Diner have been fixed up and made new again. For example, the old kitchen (which later became a pantry) was changed into an extra dining area.
Workers also carefully fixed the beautiful arched wooden ceiling and other wooden parts. They even removed layers of old paint! When they did this, they found the original "Franks DINER" sign. It was hand-painted on what used to be the outside of the diner car. Now, you can see it inside the main dining area!
Famous Visitors to Franks Diner
Over the years, many famous people have eaten at Franks Diner! In the past, when live shows were popular, many performers would stop by. This included funny actors like The Three Stooges, famous monster actor Bela Lugosi, and music legends like Duke Ellington and Liberace. Even members of the Lawrence Welk orchestra dined there!
More recently, other well-known people have visited. These include news anchor Ron Magers, weather presenter Lonnie Quinn, and Peter Tork from the band The Monkees.
The diner was even featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with host Guy Fieri! Franks Diner has also been talked about in many other TV shows, travel magazines, newspapers, and radio programs. It's a truly famous spot!
