Missouri’s 6 Oldest Diners—One Is Gone Forever

Missouri has a rich history and that includes restaurants. One of the most popular type of eateries in Missouri are diners and there are 6 that are the oldest in the state including one that disappeared not that long ago.

Whether you agree with this list will largely depend on what you define as a diner

While most think of a diner as a 1950's style restaurant with red and white stools and/or booths, Missouri "diners" really go back nearly two centuries. The diner concept didn't really become a popular restaurant theme until the 1920 and really came into its own in the 1950's, but Missouri has two places that date back to the 1800's that were the place to get a burger before automobiles were a reality. Here are the 6 oldest diners in the state of Missouri with all still open for business with one very big exception.

The Goody Goody Diner in St. Louis sadly closed back in 2019. As of a few months ago, this was the view of what used to be the Goody Goody Diner.

The good news is that most of these Missouri diners/restaurants or whatever you'd like to call them are still hanging in there and, in some cases, flourishing. Not many states have places with great burgers that date back to the era of covered wagons.