A diner in Los Angeles may have many iterations, but its basic identity is unmistakable. Breakfast is available at all hours. There's usually countertop seating with swivel chairs upholstered in leather, or booths for groups and the unhurried. A server will call you 'hon,' perhaps 'sweetie' if she's so inclined, considering neither race nor age -- not yours and certainly not hers. You're guaranteed table access to a cluster of condiments -- ketchup, jams, hot sauce, maybe a small jar of salsa.
As much as we might enjoy chasing what's new or bacon-flavored, there's little that can replicate the luxury of having comfort food cooked fast and your drinks refilled even faster. It's our original nook away from home, long before we sought coffee chains for a caffeine fix.