Topic and composition

Topic overview

In “More Than Coffee: New York’s Vanishing Diner Culture”, George Blecher describes the development of the New York City diner by mixing details about his own experiences in diners, the opinions of experts on the topic, and historical and cultural facts about American diners.

Diners are small restaurants which are most popular in the US, but also in Canada and some parts of Western Europe. They offer a variety of foods in a casual atmosphere, typically with booths and sit-down counters. Diners are easily recognisable because of their typical train-like layout. They generally serve everything from breakfast to dinner and offer free refills of coffee.

Blecher explores the development of the New York City diner by looking at the most recent facts. Diners are closing down as a result of a number of factors: “Urban renewal, astronomical rents, changing eating habits and the preponderance of no-refill coffee places like Starbucks have all contributed to the demise of the New York diner” (ll. 21-23). The writer laments this negative development and starts exploring dinner history and cultural importance.

Blecher explores diners’ cultural importance by linking them with celebrity and movie culture (ll. 9-11).  After that, he looks at the long history of diners and how they have been developed by immigrant owners and employees (ll.  44-48). In this way, the writer links diners with the American Dream – the idea that the US is a land of equal opportu...