Counter Culture Diners that combine comfort food with updated touches are serving up big sales.

Chances are, there's one in your past. You met your buddies there for Cokes and fries when you were a teenager or spent restless nights there nursing a bottomless cup of coffee. The food was simple, the Formica counter gleamed, and your waitress was always a character. A good diner is more than a restaurant: It's a haven for the tired and hungry.

Though they bring back memories, diners aren't purely nostalgic. In formats grand and small, typical and unique, old-fashioned and contemporary, diners are back, and they couldn't be more au courant.

This isn't the diner's first big comeback. The mid-'80s saw a rash of slick, gimmicky restaurants looking to cash in on the diner's appeal. Though the singing, poodle-skirted waitresses drew a crowd, novelty alone couldn't sustain the trend. Apparently, Americans loved the good old days but not the bland, greasy cooking--especially at theme restaurant prices. As the entertainment value of these places diminished, so did their customer base.