Diner Dash: The Face Off between 50’s Diner, Jim’s Retro Diner and Future Diner (part 1)

Diner dash for the three most established diners in Baguio City is on!  This ‘competition’ is powered by X Marks the Spot for Good Baguio Foods with judge, Xine.  And the contenders: Glenn’s 50’s Diner, Jim’s Retro Diner and Future Diner.  Going beyond speedy service, this competition is going to rate the food, the price of the food, the quality of service, and the ambiance that each of these restaurants have.  Let the gaaaaames begiiiiiin!

The First Contender: Glenn’s 50’s Diner

We can mainly refer to this establishment as the veteran diner of the city.  At a very young age, I already remember this diner standing proud on Abanao Street.  I must’ve eaten there a few times during that time, (only a few because then, eating out was considered more as a treat than a frequent occurrence *whew, the lucky kids today), and I vaguely recall what the inside of the store looked like.  It’s like a distant dream of pinkish neon lights; a collage of reds, whites and blacks; and waitresses in their Popeye-like garb zooming through the aisles in roller skates.

50’s Diner (General Luna) Food 2006

50’s Diner (General Luna) Interior Design

At one time in my high school years, a friend and I applied for a job at 50’s Diner.  It was a way we thought for making extra money when there’s nothing to do while school’s out.  You can bet that we had images of ourselves looking like Betty Cooper at one of her after school jobs in the comic book series, Archie.  It was a sad day when 50’s Diner Abanao closed.  A few years later, it reopened in General Luna, much to the delight of Baguio residents.  As if it was teleported from its Abanao Street location, it still had the red hotrod parked in its façade.

50’s Diner Mascot (“,)

Let’s face it, most of us have never seen the 50’s but once you come inside this quaint establishment, you’ll feel like you’re the protagonist in Back to the Future.  Posters of celebrities from that age hang on the walls, a jukebox leans against one of the walls playing the hottest tunes from the 50’s.  You might like to take a seat in one of the diner booths by the window but a lot of the time, it’s packed and so you might have to settle for the seats in the middle of the room or outside.  50’s is almost always packed with people and that’s why it was such a great idea for them to open a new branch, the one in Military Cut Off.

50’s Diner (Military Cut Off) Food

When it comes to food choices, you’ve got a whole lot of dishes to choose from.  There’s a set menu for the indecisive and those who want to cover more ground with their 50’s Diner visit.  There are sandwiches, burgers, steak dinners, budget savers, cocktails, desserts and of course, ice cream shakes and ice cream cocktails that were regular fixtures for diners in that era.  My personal favorites are cordon bleu, Mama’s Kidd, Guys on the Hood, fruit salad and banana split.  Although the prices are not like what it was in the 50’s, getting the most out of your money has never been this easy.  You can order a bunch of stuff from the menu and because they come in large proportions, you can share it with the gang (your rat pack? =b) or take what you don’t finish home *heeeee =D.

50’s Diner (General Luna) Food

The service at 50’s Diner is worthy of the highest honors in this diner dash competition.  The servers are quick on their feet (Too bad, the roller skates were nixed) to seat customers, take their orders, repeat those orders from memory and serve.  50’s Diner provides for a great diner experience with everything they offer their patrons.

50’s diners *hihi

X marks 50’s Diner for good food in Baguio.  Try it; it’s bound to become one of your favorite places.

Food: 

Service:  (one treasure chest was lost when the roller skates were nixed.)

Ambiance: 

Price: 

Stay tuned for the next contender in the Diner Dash (*echoing) Competition.

50’s Diner

92 Upper General Luna Road

Military Cut Off Road

Baguio City, Philippines

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