I Ate Garbage for the Second Time in Six Months: Cindy’s Diner, Ft Wayne IN

Last fall I had breakfast at Frank’s Diner in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and dined on Garbage. Recently I ate Garbage again, this time at Cindy’s Diner in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It’s hard to resist ordering a dish with such an unappetizing but fun name, especially when it’s the diner specialty.


The exact Garbage ingredients differ between the two diners, but the concept is the same. At Cindy’s Diner, Garbage is a combination of hash browns, eggs, cheese, onions and ham, all combined on the grill and cooked until golden brown.

Preparing garbage

Garbage

Cindy’s Diner is a nostalgic trip back to the 1950s when these ready-made diners were all the rage. The diner cost in 1952 was $6,000. Over the years it was sold and moved a few times. The current owners purchased it in 1990, moved it to its downtown Fort Wayne location, restored it to its original condition, and renamed it. Owner John quipped, “I was working construction and bought it for my wife. Now she’s at home, and I’m here.”

Cindys Diner Exterior

The small diner seats only 15, on stools around the counter, so plan your timing accordingly. We went on a weekday for a late breakfast. Whether it was good timing or luck that our group of eight was able to be seated together, I’m not sure.

Cindys Diner Interior

Cindy’s Diner is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch. I suggest saving room for a donut, made on the premises.

Donut

Cindy’s Diner is due to be picked up off the foundation and moved once again, making way for a 15-story office building on the current site. So if you visit Fort Wayne and the diner no longer at 830 South Harrison, go one block north and one block west to Webster and Berry Streets. Be ready for a dose of nostalgia and a satisfying meal of Garbage.

Disclosure:  My visit to Cindy’s Diner was hosted by Visit Fort Wayne, but any opinions expressed in this post are strictly those of the author.

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