Ed’s Easy Diner
50 restaurants across the UK
As the theme tune to a well-known American TV show from my youth said ‘Sunday, Monday happy days, Tuesday, Wednesday happy days, Thursday, Friday happy days, the weekend comes, my cycle hums, ready to race to you’...., and although I wasn’t on“a cycle”, choosing a rather more sedate and sensible saloon, and I didn’t “race”as the speed cameras on our roads are primed to catch those daring to venture over 30 MPH, the tune came totally to mind as I entered Ed’s Easy Diner for the first time. This is now a chain of 50 restaurants which opened in 1987, offering a slice of 1950’s American style service and food across the UK.
The décor is straight out of the 50’s with shiny leather seats, cosy booths with each table sporting retro style condiments and a mini jukebox, which enables the diners to select the music being played for 20p a song (all proceeds go to the charity Action for Hunger), and I half expected Biff and Marty McFly or the Fonz himself to plonk themselves down in the next door booth and order themselves one of Ed’s legendary Malt Shakes. What also distinguishes Ed’s from many other establishments selling similar food is that the kitchen is open so you can see your food being freshly prepared, and in some diners actually sit at the counter just like you see in the films/TV.
Ed’s Diner sticks to the mantra of doing a few things well rather than trying to be everything to everyone, and so sticks to Burgers, Chicken, Hot Dogs, Salads and a few other favourites, and makes sure they are made from quality ingredients. For example, the burgers are produced from Farm Assured beef and are always fresh, never frozen, and served on their own toasted bun, and the chicken is breast fillet. Diners have two choices when ordering burgers, chicken and hotdogs and can go ‘solo’ where they just get the burger and can separately choose any sides they may wish to order, or having the‘Ed’s plate’where the burger is accompanied by Fries, Onion Rings and Coleslaw, but be warned, the portions are big!
For those who don’t fancy a burger or hotdog there are healthier salad options, or those favourites I mentioned earlier that include Ribs (£13.50), Steak (£12.95) and Ed’s Nacho Meat Feast (£13.50), but you really come to Ed’s for the burgers and hotdogs. There is also a dazzling array of options for your chips, seven to be precise, and a more manageable two options for onion rings.
Drinks, like the food, follow the American theme with bottomless soft drinks and rich and creamy Milkshakes taking pride of place. All are made with Ed’s own hand scooped ice cream and flavours range from the basic Mint and Chocolate (£4.55) to the more deluxe shakes including Nutella, Lotus Biscoff and my daughters favourite, Oreo (£4.95). Adults are also catered for with Alco-shakes including Dark Rum, and Chocolate and Baileys (£5.65).
Those with a sweet tooth are also well catered for if you still have room for a dessert and my personal recommendation is the Kit-Kat Chocolate Sundae, where chunks of Kit-Kat are smothered by creamy vanilla ice cream all generously coated with Hersey’s chocolate (£4.95).
Ed’s Easy Diner is a welcome throwback to the 50’s and its restaurants across the country provide fresh food in a fun environment, and who doesn’t like a little bit of fun now and again in their lives?