Have often wondered why cafes seem to be disappearing from the American landscape.

What makes a good cafe?

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000

Answers

Great waitresses who are happy, chatty and remember things like your name and how you like your coffee, etc. Calling them waitresses is a disservice; hostess is more like it. Good, inexpensive food and a homey atmosphere that is not cafteria clash-bang noisy. And something individual about the place...not the same old-same old, chain-type-of- place. It doesn't hurt either if you're "world-famous" for your pumpkin pie or steaks or something. I used to go into a place that made the best-ever milk shakes and malts I ever tasted. Bar none. Everyone raved about 'em. The guy's secret was real ice cream and half and half instead of milk and he wasn't a miser on the flavoring.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000

Real food made after you order, not cardboard boxy tasting stuff made in a factory months before and (hopefully) frozen. Friendly service by someone who knows what you want and what you don't want. Drinks refilled without asking and without waiting hours. A smile when you don't have quite enough for the tip but she knows you'll make up for it another day. Someone who will chat with you when you feel like it and leave you alone when you don't. And everything Bubba said.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000

I agree with the "individual" point. The place has got to be the only one like it in the world, which automatically excises 99.9% of chains, etc. But I'd really rather not have chatty workers there - cool people who don't adopt a superior air, but leave me the hell alone when all I want to do is hang out.

My opinion is that cafes aren't neccessarily disappearing so much as changing location - they may not be where you always thought they were...

Oh, and good feng shui. (I had to say that, it's on PBS right now...) :-)

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000

Paul, I heard they make a cream that will get rid of that stuff. James

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2000

Oy, look at this feng shui on the bottom of my foot, it itches like crazy! :-) Thanks, James.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2000

James, where you been, bud? I thought floosie had you thrown in jail for felonious leering or somethin' Glad to see you posting again.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2000

Then what's the difference between a cafe and a diner?

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Um, quantity of grease?

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

I'm not so hot on cafes or diners. I'm a deli girl, myself. I love hanging out at delis, the food is so comforting.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Maggie, don't lie. You know you only hang out at Moose Woosnookski's.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Oh Nicole, now you've got me wanting a two-handed moose log.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

Don't we all, Maggie. Don't we all.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

I just want my daily mocha latte enema

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

No. Flooz talks that way but she likes me alot. She just doesn't want Brat to know about us. I think thay have shots for that fengshui stuff too! James

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

A good cafe is somewhere you can go to drink endless amounts of coffee and read your book, listen to loud music, bump into friends and have odd conversations with people you don't know. I could write a book on my cafe experiences. Diner's are a completely different experience. Firstly, you would probably have the aim to eat something, breakfast and so, the banter with the waitresses would be a must, and there's always some old guy at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee, looking a bit worse for wear. God bless American diners and cafes.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000