PUT OUT THE LIGHTS AND CRY: Diner Speak

In days gone by my family used to race motorcycles in the High Mojave Desert. Almost every weekend we would make the trip to various locations where the races were held. Ah, the memories of District 37 and the View Finders, the riding club we belonged to. 

Along the way we stopped at various diners and cafes to grab a bite to eat either going or returning home. You know…the hole-in-the-wall family operations that most likely don’t exist in the 21st century. Maybe in a very small town somewhere. They were fun because the waitress would call out the order to the cook using “Diner language.” My kids thought that was a hoot would always try to guess what was being ordered.

Our favorite was Charlie’s Place located between Red Mountain and Trona, CA. The establishment was more of a bar than a diner, located out in the boonies where desert races were held. Nothing but rocks and desert for miles in any direction.
                                           Charlie's Place                                        Desert around Trona, CA              

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Years after we stopped going there, it was renamed the Wagon Wheel and moved to another other location. The site, which is now a BLM camping area, is still called Charlie’s Place.

BURN ONE WITH FROG STICKS
As I sifted through more than a couple hundred of these diner-speak phrases, I wondered how many of them my grandchildren would understand. I’ve listed fifty+ here. Find the favorites for your family and call them out when served. Or make up a “Jeopardy” type game to guess the food from the name.

Here is a sample. Some of the terms are the dishes themselves, others are directions regarding preparation. See how many you can match.

01. A spot with a twist = Cup of tea with lemon
02. ▼ Adam and Eve on a raft = Two poached eggs on toast

03. Adam and Eve blindfolded with sneeze ▲ = Two poached eggs on toast surrounded by bacon & peppered.
04. Add Hail to the MD = Put ice in the Dr. Pepper
05. ▼All hot = A baked potato

06. All Hot, Tip Toe thru Wisconsin ▲ = Baked Potato with cheese sprinkled on top
https://www.easycheesyvegetarian.com/how-to-make-perfect-baked-potato/

07. Axle grease/skid grease/cow paste = Butter
08. ▼Angels on Horseback = Oysters rolled in bacon and served on toast

09. Blowout Patches with Axle Grease and Vermont ▲= Pancakes with butter and syrup
10. Baby juice/moo juice/cow juice/Sweet Alice = Milk
11. Belch water/balloon water = Seltzer or soda water
12. Baled Hay = Shreaded Wheat
13. Battle Creek in a bowl = Corn Flakes in a bowl
14. Biddy Board = French toast
15. Bloodhound in the Hay = A hot dog with sauerkraut

16. Bossy in a bowl = Beef stew
17. Burn one = Put a hamburger on the grill
18. Burn one with frog sticks = Hamburger and fries
19. Burn one, take it through the garden and pin a rose on it = A hamburger with lettuce, tomato and onion
20. ▼Burn the British = A toasted English muffin

21. Cowboy with Spurs = Western Omelet with potatoes ▲
22. Drag one through Georgia = Coca-Cola with chocolate syrup
23. Drag Wimpy through Wisconsin = Hamburger with cheese
24. Draw one in the dark = A cup of black coffee
25. Drown the Kids = Boiled Eggs
26. ▼Eve with a moldy lid = Apple pie with cheese

​28. First lady = Spareribs ▲
29. In the alley = A side dish
30. First Lady with Idaho Cakes in the alley = Ribs with Hash brown Patties on the side
31. Frog sticks = French fries
32. Fry two and let the sun shine = Two eggs sunny side up or eggs which have not been
      flipped over.
33. ▼Heart Attack on Rack = Biscuits and gravy

34. Hounds on an Island ▲= Franks and beans
https://parade.com/891446/pambeth/this-franks-and-beans-recipe-tastes-like-childhood-in-casserole-form

​35. Houseboat = A banana split
36. Looseners = Prunes
37. Maiden's delight = Cherries
38. Mouse Trap = Grilled Cheese Sandwich
39. Noah's boy on dough = A ham sandwich
40. Noah's boy with Murphy carrying a wreath = ham and potatoes with cabbage
41. Pair of drawers = Two cups of coffee
42. Put out the lights and cry = Liver and onions
43. Hockey puck = A hamburger, well done
44. Hold the grass / keep off the grass = A sandwich without lettuce|
45. Hot Blonde in the Sand = Coffee with cream and sugar
46. Two Cows, make them cry = Two hamburgers with onions
47. Whiskey Down with Skid Grease = Rye toast with butter
48. Wreck 'em = Scrambled eggs

PUT LEGS ON IT
Some of the diner slang is more about actions than the kind of food. These terms add significantly to the fun of the "language".
Burn one = Put a hamburger on the grill
Nuke it = Microwave
Cremate it or Kill it = cook well-done
Drop = Start cooking the accompanied item; e.g. “The mussels are almost done, better drop the calamari.”
Give It Wings = Serve quickly
On a Rail or On the Fly = Something needed quickly, like yesterday
Turn & Burn = Turn a table quickly (usually because there is a long waiting list for tables).
Pump it out = Getting food out quickly
Put legs on it = A take out item
In the alley = A side dish

HAVE FUN WITH IT!
Sources:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/diner-lingo/
http://www.meandmycaptain.com/2014/01/adam-eve/
http://blog.etundra.com/food-service/glossary-restaurant-terms/
https://www.dametown.com/words-for-women-get-the-hang-of-30s-slang/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31493/understanding-diner-lingo-55-phrases-get-you-started
http://www.jitterbuzz.com/diners.html
https://www.metv.com/quiz/do-you-know-your-breakfast-diner-lingo
https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/diner-slang-what-does-diner-lingo-mean
https://www.rd.com/food/phrases-only-hear-50s-diner/
​https://www.facebook.com/AMADistrict37/