Popular NJ option may be contributing to diner demise in NJ

From what makes a classic New Jersey diner, to those that are still 24/7, to what this shift means for all diners that are slowly disappearing. But before we get too upset here, let's quickly clarify one thing. New Jersey is still considered the diner capital of the world.

We still have more diners here than anywhere else in the world, so there's no fear of missing out on those beloved disco fries. Speaking of disco fries, think about how massive those Classic Jersey diner menus are. It's highly unlikely you'll find a Jersey diner with a one or two-page menu... unless it has small print to cram a lot on it.

If the menu is small with not a lot of options, then it doesn't belong in the Garden State. Besides the oversized menu, let's first look at a few other things that make them classic Jersey.

Wait... 24 Hours?

Well, not quite. Sadly, that's one of the things that have changed with so many of New Jersey's diners. Some that used to be 24 hours have scaled back, while others have shut down altogether.

Next, we'll look at those that are still 24 hours in some capacity. Afterward, we'll dive into what might be contributing to killing not only 24-hour diners in New Jersey but shrinking our numbers overall.

A 24-hour demise?

Maybe it isn't new, but it is a much newer alternative when compared to the diner. And it's one that New Jersey absolutely loves. Ever stop at a QuickChek, Wawa, or any other type of mega-convenience store for a late-night meal?

Not only do they make great food, but they're also all over the place making them convenient to pop into. But have you ever stopped to think about how much stores like that might be contributing to the unfortunate shrinking landscape of the classic New Jersey diner? Especially late at night, when we've shifted to a more grab-and-go type meal as opposed to a sit-and-dine kind.

And for the record, there's absolutely nothing wrong with places like Wawa or QuickChek. After all, they wouldn't be in New Jersey if we didn't love them.

But we love our diners, too. Maybe it's time we stop in a little more often and skip the convenience store, especially our younger generation. Let's try to help stop the scaling back or closings of any more diners in New Jersey so we can remain the diner capital of the world.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.