50 Cute and Catchy Diner Names

Who doesn’t love dining at a mom and pop diner? If you have a passion for customer service and food, combine these with management skills and open a diner!

Choosing the right name is a critical first step. Having a clever or catchy name might be key to helping you stand out from your competition.

You need to come up with some good diner names! Think about all the things that you would ordinarily look for in a restaurant: cleanliness, fast service, accuracy, professionalism. You want a name that stands out from the rest, a name that says why you should come in here instead of the other diner around the block.

Here are some things to consider:

• Location: Using your location in your diner name is helpful when it comes to advertising. People can know generally where you are located just by hearing your name. If you are located in a busy street downtown, such as 5th Street, an example would be “Diner on 5th.”

• Opening Hours: If you are open 24/7, this is an important factor to consider when naming the diner! Not many diners are open all the time and this can give you a leg up on your competition.

• Type of diner: Whether it’s a 1950’s diner or a modern diner, make sure the name suits it well.

• Theme: Likewise, if your diner will have a fun theme, the name should definitely match the theme!

• Your name: If you are the owner of a diner, you could consider naming it after yourself. This will almost certainly make your diner's name unique.

Now for some example diner names to get you thinking!

Secure Licenses and Permits

When it comes to opening any kind of food service establishment, you need to secure the proper permits from the state, county/city, and through the local health department.

A good starting point would be contacting your state’s Division of Corporations to see about registering your business as a legal entity, and they may be able to advise you further as to your next step.

Find a Location

Once you have secured the proper licensing and permits, it’s time to look for a good location to start your business. You will want to find a place that is subject to a lot of traffic for maximum customer exposure. Downtown areas tend to be good, busy places for small, local restaurants to flourish and often have busy periods during festivals and local celebrations.

Shop for Furnishings, Equipment, and Suppliers

While searching for that perfect location, also be looking for your food supplier and equipment you will be needing to furnish the kitchen and dining lobby. You may be able to find much of what you need by searching Craigslist and from other restaurants who will be closing for whatever reason. Keep in mind that purchasing used furniture and equipment and refurbishing it is a lot cheaper than purchasing everything new, and all you need is some elbow grease and a few helping hands!

Craft Your Menu and Hire Help

One of your final steps would be drafting your menu and hiring a couple of people to help you in the early days of operation, then later expanding your staff as you see fit.