1

Bacon Cheeseburger

Image: Erik Odiin

Let us begin with the most obvious and ubiquitous diner staple of all time: the bacon cheeseburger . This decadent concoction of ground beef, buns, melted cheddar, bacon, and a few more ingredients has graced the menus of diners forever.

While most are meant to be eaten as a sandwich, more than a few places offer monstrous creations that have to be opened and eaten in pieces or with a knife and fork, as the sheer size of the hamburger cannot fit in an open mouth.

2

Club Sandwich

Image: Suea Sivilaisith

Another menu classic, the club sandwich consists of three superimposed slices of toast with two fillings, cut into triangular quarters that point upward like they're reaching for the heavens. Fresh turkey breast and bacon are the standard ingredients, but some diners have come to specialize in clubs and their variations.

Supposedly, the sandwich was invented in Saratoga Springs, New York, at the racetrack clubhouse in 1894, hence its name.

3

Hash browns

Image: Uwe Conrad

An iconic breakfast side, hash browns are an omnipresent add-on to scrambled eggs, bacon strips, and many more classic dishes. They consist of finely julienned potatoes that have been fried until golden browned.

No matter which diner you visit to get breakfast, you’ll more than likely find these crispy potato strings on the menu, as they are appreciated for their simplicity, versatility, and satisfying crunch.

4

Eggs Benedict

Image: bady abbas

A breakfast or brunch dish with a funny name, Eggs Benedict consists of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce.

While it was popularized in New York City, it is generally believed to have been created in New York City in the late 19th century, this dish can be found all over the country and is a menu staple in diners everywhere.

5

Biscuits and gravy

Image: John Cameron

A hearty breakfast ideal for chilly Midwest mornings and a cowboy diet staple, biscuits and gravy are made with warm, soft dough biscuits, covered in white gravy made from the drippings of cooked pork sausage, flour, milk, and often bits of sausage, bacon, ground beef, or other meat.

Most classic diners worth their salt will offer some variation of this delicious dish.

6

Tuna Melt

Image: Youjeen Cho

Even though the title of this diner favorite suggests it, nobody has ever melted a fish yet. The "melt" part of a tuna melt is achieved by a substance that is much more capable of reaching that state: cheese.

Supposedly, this delicious sandwich was invented when a lunch counter cook accidentally tipped a bowl of tuna salad onto a piece of toasted cheese already frying on the flat top. The result proved quite tasty, and thus, the dish was born. Whether one decides to believe it or not, tuna melt makes for a great diner menu item.

7

Meatloaf

Image: Verena Böttcher

A close cousin to the traditional diner hamburger, the meatloaf also has German origins. However, instead of the pork and veal meat that must be used in its homeland, the American meatloaf is done with ground beef. Its distinctive flavor comes from masses of onions that meld with the beef fat, and the flavor mellows as the meatloaf bakes.

The resulting dish is smothered in gravy, and presented with lots of mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables, and extra gravy on the side.

8

Pancakes

Image: nikldn

Passing on now to the desserts, we encounter a champion of American breakfasts and a menu item that no respectable diner should be without: the almighty pancake .

Whether it comes with fruit, chocolate chips, or more, this comfort food is covered with a generous amount of syrup to help lubricate and ease the journey from mouth to stomach with every bite.

9

Pie a La Mode

Image: Element5 Digital

French speakers might ask: "To Which Mode?" to which the answer would be: ice cream! Pie à la Mode is, simply put, a slice of -usually- apple pie with ice cream on top.

This sweet treat can be found in refrigerated glass display cases showcased in diners since refrigeration was invented. And there is a great reason for that, as the resulting mix of the crunchy base, the sweet apple, and the ice cream make for an amazing dessert.

10

Waffles

Image: Mae Mu

Sure, waffles can be thrown into a toaster right out of the box, in the comfort of your own home. But that is no match for a diner-style freshly made waffle (that is, if the diner is any good).

Waffles are a breakfast staple, readily available at your local eateries. There are few things better than biting into a waffle and being met with a pocket of melted butter and warm syrup.

1

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola's name was created by Frank M. Robinson, the bookkeeper and business partner of pharmacist John S. Pemberton, who developed the drink in 1886. Robinson chose the name because its two parts referred to ingredients in the original formula: coca leaves and kola nuts. He also believed the repeated C sounds would look appealing in advertising.

Robinson wrote the name in the distinctive flowing script that helped define the brand's visual identity. Here's a surprising twist: the original formula contained an extract of coca leaves that included cocaine, which was removed by the early 1900s. The name, however, stuck, and Coca-Cola went on to become one of the most ubiquitous brands in the world.

2

Kodak

When George Eastman introduced the Kodak camera in 1888, he wanted a name that was short, distinctive, and easy to pronounce in different languages. He founded the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York, where he helped make photography more accessible to everyday Americans.

Eastman created the name from scratch, with a particular fondness for the letter K, which he considered strong and distinctive. Rather than using an existing word like "camera" or "photography," he wanted something original that people could easily remember. Over the decades, Kodak became more than a photography brand: its cameras and film helped families preserve birthdays, vacations, holidays, and countless memories. Although the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012 as digital photography transformed the industry, it survived and continues to produce photographic film and printing technology today.

3

Pepsi

Pepsi's story began in 1893, when pharmacist Caleb Bradham created a fountain drink in New Bern, North Carolina. Originally called Brad's Drink, the beverage was renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898. The new name was inspired by the word dyspepsia , an old medical term for indigestion , reflecting Bradham's belief that his drink could aid digestion.

The name also included "Cola," a familiar reference to the kola nut, which was associated with cola beverages. Although Pepsi eventually became known for its flavor and competition with Coca-Cola, its original name reflected the drink's early image as a refreshing beverage with potential digestive benefits.

4

Starbucks

The name Starbucks comes from Moby-Dick , Herman Melville's classic 1851 American novel about a whaling voyage aboard the ship The Pequod. One of the founders of the Seattle coffee company, English teacher Gordon Bowker, liked the sound of names beginning with "St." The team eventually settled on Starbucks, the name of the Pequod’s first mate, Starbuck.

The literary connection also aligned with the founders' vision of a coffee company inspired by the Pacific Northwest's seafaring history. Since opening its first store in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks has grown into a global coffee giant. Its name remains a small nod to an American literary classic.

5

Nike

Nike takes its name from the ancient Greek goddess of victory, making it a natural fit for a company built around sports and athletic achievement. The company was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, initially distributing Japanese running shoes in the United States.

In 1971, the business adopted the name Nike as it prepared to launch its own footwear brand. The famous Swoosh logo, designed by Carolyn Davidson, was created around the same time. Today, both the name and the instantly recognizable Swoosh are closely associated with Nike, making the simple, elongated checkmark one of the most familiar symbols in sports.

6

Google

Google's name comes from googol , a mathematical term for the number one followed by 100 zeros . The term reflects the enormous amount of information the company's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, wanted their search engine to organize and make accessible.

The company began as a research project at Stanford University before being incorporated in 1998. According to the commonly told origin story, "Google" emerged as a playful variation of "googol," reportedly following a misspelling during the naming process. The name proved memorable, and today, the verb "to Google" is widely used to describe searching for information online.

7

Amazon

When Jeff Bezos launched his online bookstore in 1995, he wanted a name that suggested enormous scale. He chose Amazon, inspired by the Amazon River, one of the largest rivers in the world. The name reflected his ambition to build a business offering an exceptionally wide selection of books and, eventually, much more.

There was also a practical advantage: names beginning with A could appear near the top of alphabetical business listings. Amazon soon expanded beyond books into electronics, clothing, household goods, and countless other products and services. Its familiar arrow-shaped logo, stretching from A to Z, reinforces the idea that customers can find almost anything there.

8

Walmart

Walmart's name is a straightforward abbreviation of its founder's name and the type of store he operated. Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962. The shorter name, Walmart, eventually became the company's official brand name.

Walton built the business around a simple idea: offer customers a wide selection of products at low prices. That approach helped Walmart grow from a single discount store into one of America's largest retailers. The name may be simple, but it became closely associated with the company's promise of affordable everyday shopping.

9

McDonald's

McDonald's takes its name from Richard and Maurice McDonald , two brothers who opened a hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940 . Their restaurant developed a streamlined approach to preparing and serving food, helping lay the groundwork for the modern fast-food model.

Businessman Ray Kroc later partnered with the brothers and expanded the concept into a nationwide franchise, opening his first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955. The brothers' surname became an international brand, while the Golden Arches evolved into one of the most recognizable symbols on the planet.

10

Apple

When Apple was founded in 1976, Steve Jobs reportedly wanted a name that sounded friendly, approachable, and less intimidating than the technical names common in the computer industry. He had recently returned from visiting an apple farm and suggested the name Apple Computer. According to accounts from the company's early days, he thought the name sounded appealing and memorable.

Interestingly, the name has another connection to a familiar story from science. Apple's original logo featured Isaac Newton sitting beneath an apple tree, a reference to the famous tale of how a falling apple inspired his thinking about gravity. That design was soon replaced by the now-iconic bitten-apple logo, but the company's simple name remained, and eventually became one of the most instantly recognizable anywhere.

11

Ford

Unlike many modern brand names, Ford comes directly from the surname of its founder, Henry Ford . He established the Ford Motor Company in 1903, during a period when automobiles were still expensive and largely inaccessible to ordinary Americans.

The company's Model T, introduced in 1908, helped change that by making car ownership more affordable through mass production. Over time, the Ford name became associated with American manufacturing, assembly-line innovation, and the growth of the automobile industry. The familiar blue oval logo came later, but the family name remained at the heart of the brand.

12

Kleenex

Kleenex was introduced by the paper products company Kimberly-Clark in 1924 as a disposable facial tissue. Its name drew on the word "clean," reflecting the product's hygienic purpose, while the ending gave it a distinctive commercial sound. The tissues were initially marketed as a convenient way to remove cold cream and cosmetics.

The product's role changed when customers began using the tissues as disposable handkerchiefs. That shift helped turn Kleenex into a household staple, and the brand name eventually became so familiar that many Americans use it to refer to facial tissues in general regardless of brand. It's a striking example of how a made-up product name can become part of everyday language.

1

San Francisco, California

Image: Belle Co

San Francisco was never officially a state capital, but there was a 9-month period during the early governance of California when the capitol stood in the city’s Merchant’s Exchange building .

The seat of California’s capital moved multiple times among cities, including Monterey, San Jose, Vallejo, and Benicia. In the mid-19th century, it settled in Sacramento, strategically situated at the confluence of major rivers –which also meant proneness to flood . Severe flooding hit the city in the 1860s, temporarily incapacitating it as a state capital.

The administration then moved to San Francisco, which had been instrumental during the Gold Rush and remained a cultural and economic powerhouse. When Sacramento had recovered, though, the legislature moved back and it has remained the state capital since.

2

Savannah, Georgia

Image: Jessica Furtney

Savannah, the beautiful city in Georgia famous for its cobblestone streets and picturesque squares, was the state’s first colonial capital. It continued to hold the capitol following the American Revolution.

In the late 1700s, however, the capital moved inland to Augusta, where the population was growing. The decision was also meant to protect the government from potential coastal attacks .

Several cities served as capitals in the decades that followed, such as Louisville and Milledgeville. It wasn’t until a constitutional convention was held in Atlanta that the city’s potential as a state capital was recognized, and later realized.

3

St. Augustine, Florida

Image: Maddie DiFilippo

Known for its well-preserved colonial architecture, like the Castillo de San Marcos fortress , St. Augustine was the capital of East Florida for hundreds of years, since Spanish rule.

When Florida became a U.S. territory, St. Augustine, on Florida's northeast coast, maintained its role as one of two capitals, alongside Pensacola, which served West Florida. However, the difficulty of travel between these two cities led to inefficiencies in governance.

A halfway point was set exactly at Tallahassee to make access easier for legislators of both sides. To this day, St. Augustine maintains many constructions and a strong heritage from its colonial past.

4

New Orleans, Louisiana

Image: Stella He

When Louisiana was admitted into the Union, vibrant New Orleans was the state capital, and it remained so for over 30 years until the government seat was changed to Baton Rouge.

New Orleans was the largest and most economically significant city in the state at the time, so it was a natural choice. Still, its location also posed challenges, like disease outbreaks that often plagued it, and the powerful political influence of the French Creole population .

Eventually, Baton Rouge became the official capital, and its new Gothic Revival-style capitol building opened in the mid-19th century. Today, New Orleans remains a cultural hub for the state and the country.

5

Lewiston, Idaho

Image: Anthony Camerlo

The original capital of Idaho was upstate Lewiston, a key shipping hub thanks to its access to river transport. But the discovery of gold in the Boise Basin meant that the population –and the riches– flew to southern Idaho.

With the majority of settlers now in the south, the capital's relocation was pushed. Lewiston residents did not take this lightly: They fiercely resisted losing the capital and went so far as to lock the territorial seal and papers in the town jail to prevent their removal.

Federal troops had to intervene to complete the relocation. Today, Lewiston still proudly proclaims itself as "Idaho's First Territorial Capital," a line displayed everywhere downtown.

6

Plymouth, Massachusetts

Image: donwhite84

Plymouth, located in southeastern Massachusetts on Plymouth Bay, was the landing site of the Pilgrims in 1620. For many decades it remained its capital until the colony merged with that in Massachusetts Bay.

After the merger, Boston, a city with a larger population and a central hub for trade and governance, was designated the new capital. But Plymouth is still considered "America's Hometown" and hosts elaborate Thanksgiving celebrations annually.

Plymouth will always retain its historical significance, such as being the home of Plymouth Rock , which commemorates the site of the disembarkation of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

7

Kingston, New York

Image: Amy Lavine, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kingston is located along the Hudson River in Ulster County, New York, with a scenic backdrop of the Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains.

It retains its Revolutionary War-era stone buildings, historic landmarks, and its title as the "birthplace" of New York State's government; It was its first capital. But when it became a center for revolutionary activities in the late 18th century, British forces burned the city in retaliation.

Kingston was rebuilt, but it never regained its capital status. Albany was later chosen as the capital for its central location and strong infrastructure.

8

Detroit, Michigan

Image: Alex Brisbey

Detroit, a.k.a. "Motor City," is not just the center of the U.S. automotive industry, but was Michigan's first capital before it moved inland to Lansing.

Michigan Territory had Detroit as its center, and it remained so even after it became a state. But there were concerns over Detroit's proximity to the Canadian border , and, as with many other capitals, a desire to fix the capitol in the state’s center.

Lansing, just a small settlement at the time, was more accessible and more secure. Detroit didn’t stay behind, though; Its role as a transportation hub during the Industrial Revolution helped it become a manufacturing powerhouse .

9

Kaskaskia, Illinois

Image: Dave Hoefler

Kaskaskia is now nearly a ghost town , a quiet community of fewer than 20 residents. This is due to Mississippi River flooding and shifting channels –but it was once its state capital.

Situated in Randolph County, Illinois, near the Mississippi River, it’s uniquely located on the western bank of the river. In the early 19th century it was a center for trade and governance and remained the capital until the legislature decided to relocate to Vandalia.

Vandalia, inland and growing, was a reasonable choice back then, but it would be replaced by Springfield eventually, largely due to the efforts of Abraham Lincoln .

10

New Castle, Delaware

Image: jakob

New Castle served as Delaware’s colonial capital during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was here, in 1776, that Delaware declared independence from both Pennsylvania and Great Britain, establishing itself as a state.

The city’s location by the Delaware River was key during colonial times, but it also made it susceptible to British naval attacks during the American Revolution. That was why the seat was moved to Dover, although it wasn’t made the permanent capital until the 1780s.

New Castle still keeps its well-preserved colonial architecture, particularly in the district surrounding its courthouse.