Relive the time when B grade science fiction movies lit up the big screen, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino dominated jukeboxes and every little girl had a crush on James Dean by recreating a 1950's diner for your next dinner party.
Set the scene
Check out old episodes of
Happy Days or the Reece Witherspoon movie
Pleasantville for an idea of what a 1950's diner looked like and duplicate the look in your dining room by covering your tables with checkered tablecloths and using retro napkin dispensers. This soda fountain
scene setters will add instant ambience. You'll also need a jukebox –
real or
fake.
The menu
This authentic 1950's diner menu will give you an idea of the decade's standard fare. Serve a fancier, more modern version of the hamburger and fries staple using Gordon Ramsay's
hamburger recipe and Jamie Oliver's
straw potato recipe. Popular beverages included milkshakes, ice cold Coke and the bottomless cup of coffee.
Use
free online clip art to make up a menu and hand it to your guests as they are seated. Don't forget to list genuine 1950's prices.
Entertainment
After you've eaten, keep the night going with some 1950's themed entertainment. Watch a 1950's movie (sci fi flicks like
The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Alfred Hitchcock movies were popular); have a hula hoop or limbo competition; or teach your guests how to
jitterbug.
