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1950's Diners' Grills Fire Up Spaniards

MADRID, SPAIN - Forget paella, cured Spanish ham, and churros, a new gastronomic trend has hit Spain in the form of hamburgers, bacon cheese fries and milkshakes. Not only have American-style 50’s diners expanded throughout Spain to more than 21 cities, perhaps more surprising is that there are also two competing Spanish chains spearheading the craze: the appropriately named Peggy Sue’s and Tommy Mel’s.

Peggy Sue’s opened the first of these diners in 2007 in the heart of Madrid, Spain’s capital. Within two years, this two-toned, neon-signed restaurant expanded to three more locations throughout Madrid, by 2009 becoming a franchise stretching throughout Spain. It now has over 30 locations, each complete with retro booths and original juke boxes.

The competition, the much younger Tommy Mel’s (as seen in photos 1 - 2), opened just two years ago and already has 10 locations and five more set to open shortly. Their waiters are clad in traditional turquoise diner uniforms with an authenticity to transport clients into a scene from Grease. The waiters even manage a more traditionally sunny American disposition not generally seen amongst “bruto” Spanish service workers.  

The two chains are similar in aesthetic, complete with vinyl-upholstered booths, 50’s-style pink neon and tall stools along the bar. But perhaps more importantly, both are finding a high demand for their product among Spaniards.

“For Spanish people, American culture—through movies, TV and singers—has always had a lot of success,” says Carlos Pérez Puga, a manager at a recently opened Tommy Mel’s in the heart of the modern Madrilenian neighborhood of Chueca.

“American films have had more importance here than even Spanish films and people are attracted to the stories we’ve heard all our lives. I don’t think they really ever go out of style.”

Pérez explains that one of the most surprising discoveries has been how wide the appeal among the Spanish clientele actually is. Whereas it can be a family establishment, seeing many parents with children and strollers, it also appeals to groups of friends, senior citizens and, of course, nostalgic expatriates.

For Americans living or traveling to Spain, a menu of juicy hamburgers, chili cheese dogs, and chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce attracts them as well as reminds them of home.

“Americans come in for our milkshakes because they know that they are going to be just like the shakes from home,” explains Pérez. “In fact, it’s incredible because the only difference that Americans find between our diner and the ones from home is that ours is cleaner.”

Although the food imitates impeccably an American-style diner, almost all of the ingredients come from Spain. Only maple syrup for the pancakes offered on the dessert menu is imported from the United States. The beef, however, is completely Spanish, yet cooked in the American style.

“What most satisfies us is when an American tells us that we’ve been able to recreate what you have in the States,” says Pérez. “In fact, we love to hear that we’ve gotten a product right, or sometimes, even better than the original.”

Photos courtesy of Carly Stingl