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.

Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is blasting a proposal to rename new federal workforce grants after Donald Trump, calling it an attempt to erase Sen. Claiborne Pell’s legacy and rewrite the history of a program that’s helped millions afford college
Council leaders argue the mayor violated the city charter by naming John Thody as police chief without council approval, asking a judge to clarify their authority to confirm department heads
Plus: Umberto Crenca and the Gillen Street Ensemble bring their basement jam sessions to the Wilbury Theatre Group’s stage.
Ocean State Labs, opening next year in Providence’s I-195 District, will bring together researchers, investors, and startups focused on cancer treatments, gene therapy, tissue regeneration, and Alzheimer’s disease