Food for Thought: Idea for First Diner in US Cooked Up in Rhode Island

Walter Scott came up with the concept of a food wagon in the 1800s.

Friends eating fast food at the table in the diner
BGStock72
Share
Friends eating fast food at the table in the diner
BGStock72
Food for Thought: Idea for First Diner in US Cooked Up in Rhode Island
Copy

Did you know that the good old-fashioned American diner originated in Rhode Island?

Walter Scott was a pressman in Rhode Island, working first for the Providence Evening Press and then for the Morning Star. His dream of being a young entrepreneur led him to quit his job, and in 1872 he began selling food out of a horse-pulled wagon.

That led to the diner as we know it today, perfected in the early 20th century by Jerry O’Mahony.

Get the full story in the reel below.

Trinity Repertory Company’s 49th “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Richard and Sharon Jenkins, offers a traditional but delightful take on Charles Dickens’ classic tale
An exhibit explores the stories of the oldest continuously operating jail in the country, two classical concerts to choose from, folk music from the Faux Paws and “A Christmas Carol” is back at Trinity Rep
The state senator shares his takeaways from the Washington Bridge hearing and weighs in on gun policy, health care strains, and the push for a new medical school at URI
A group of nonprofits from Rhode Island found themselves at the heart of a dispute over food aid that reached all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court
New research led by Brown University scientists suggests cannabis may curb short-term alcohol consumption — but raises big questions about swapping one substance for another