![]() It is worth a trip through nostalgia to enjoy a few bites of Jersey history. The Tick Tock Diner is a throwback dining experience. “Eat Heavy” is both the slogan and the motto of the diner, and it’s been emblazoned on tee shirts and even tattooed on patron’s arms. We suggest a visit at night, when the Tock’s neon lights are all aglow - including the famous “Eat Heavy” sign. The red vinyl bar seats are as traditional as the stainless steel siding. The Tick Tock Diner went through a significant renovation in 2019, but it continues to honor classic diner interiors while being fresh and modern. It is one of the most famous diners in all of New Jersey. When Mick Jagger stopped by in 2019 for a bite before performing, he boasted on stage of his visit to the Tick Tock, saying he stopped by “for a Taylor ham, egg, and cheese with disco fries and a sloppy joe to go!” Countless celebrities have stopped in for a bite and a visit to the Tick Tock. Most New Jersey natives have a diner story to tell, whether it’s during a teenage hangout, a late-night hunger run, or a place their Grandma used to take them. With its retro style and classic charm, the Tick Tock isn’t just a place to eat. The 1977 version of the restaurant was relocated to Route 40 and is now known as the Mays Landing Diner. The Tick Tock diner that patrons visit today was built in Avenel and installed in 1994. Then, in 1977, a new Tick Tock was revealed, this time with big windows, accommodations for more than 200 diners, and a burgeoning market of hungry diners coming from the newly built Meadowlands sports complex. By 1956 the company installed a modular restaurant extension to keep up with the Tick Tock’s popularity. The original was built by the Paterson Vehicle Company and was a stainless steel ‘Silk City’ diner car. Since that time, there have been three redesigns of the famous diner. The Tick Tock Diner was opened in 1948 by a Greek-American who ran lunch carts at nearby office buildings. For this reason, they were made to a shape that mimicked that of a trailer or train car, which is why diners are often styled as railcars. Each building was transported by truck to its new location. Between the years 19, an estimated 2,000 diners were built out of his factory. In 1912, a man named Jerry O’Mahony began manufacturing prefabricated diner buildings in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Read More: 14 North Jersey Diners You *Must* Add to Your Bucket Listĭiners originated from horse-drawn lunch wagons in Providence, Rhode Island. With improved roads, more cars, and many working-class citizens, diners were a place where people could get a delicious, cheap meal at any time of day or night. It was then that the rise of New Jersey diners began. Drivers took routes from Philadelphia to New York directly, and they wanted to eat along the way. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York were connected via central throughways, and travel among the three states became common. ![]() In the early 20th century, as cars became more popular for both work and play, drivers found the need for roadside dining. The silver-paneled exterior stands out amid the neighboring strip malls and stucco buildings on the busy highway, its neon glory a beacon of New Jersey dining history. ![]() The Tick Tock Diner, located at 281 Allwood Road along Route 3 West in Clifton, is the iconic diner known throughout the state for its consistent food, 24/7 offerings, and ever-varied clientele.
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