How many diners and restaurants are there on Route 66?

Nobody keeps a full count: hundreds of cafés, diners and drive-ins line the old road, and they open and close every year. This page lists 34 classic places to eat that are well documented and sit on or near Route 66. It is a starting point for a road trip, not a directory of every restaurant.

Which states have the places to eat on this list?

Illinois (6), Missouri (2), Oklahoma (4), Texas (1), New Mexico (3), Arizona (5) and California (13), east to west. We have no places to eat on the list yet in Kansas; the stops there still have food nearby, which each stop's page shows under practical info.

Which of these Route 66 restaurants are right on the road?

The Berghoff, Rich & Creamy, Polk-a-Dot Drive In, Dixie Travel Plaza, Charlie Parker's Diner, Cozy Dog Drive In, Mother Road Market, Pops, Frontier Restaurant, Mac's La Sierra, Rod's Steak House, Highway Hot Dog, Westside Lilo's Cafe, Roadkill Cafe, Topock 66, Bagdad Café, Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe, Mitla Cafe, Sycamore Inn, Magic Lamp Inn, Twohey's, Fair Oaks Pharmacy, Philippe's, Formosa Cafe, Pink's Hot Dogs, Carney's and Barney's Beanery sit within half a mile of the old road. The others are a short drive off it, from about one mile to a few miles; every card shows the distance.

Can I add a diner to my Route 66 trip plan?

Yes, as a meal rather than a stop. Turn on "Where to eat" on the Route 66 map to see these places next to every stop, and the trip planner suggests up to two of them for each day of the drive. Each place page has directions and the address, phone and hours we know of; check hours before you go, as they change often.

34 places to eat · 7 states

Route 66 diners and classic places to eat

Updated October 2026

Route 66 was built for driving, and its diners, drive-ins and cafés were where travelers stopped to refuel themselves. This page gathers 34 classic places to eat on or near the old road, in seven of its eight states, from The Berghoff in Chicago to Pink's Hot Dogs in Los Angeles.

Tap a fork-and-knife marker to see that place here.

Tap a marker for the photo and a link to the place. On the full Route 66 map, turn on “Where to eat” to see them next to every stop.

They are not the only good meals on the route, and this is not a directory of every café. We picked places that are well documented and well known to Route 66 travelers: the Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, Illinois, Ted Drewes frozen custard in St. Louis, Pops in Arcadia, Oklahoma, The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque and the Bagdad Café out in the Mojave Desert.

The list runs east to west, the way most people drive, with each state's places in driving order. Every card shows the town and how far the place sits from Route 66; 27 of the 34 are within half a mile of the road. Opening hours change often, so check before you go: each place page has the address, phone and hours we know of, plus directions.

Planning the whole trip? The trip planner suggests up to two of these places for each day of the drive, and every stop page lists the closest places to eat. For the sights between meals, see the best Route 66 attractions.

Route 66 diners in Illinois (6)

All stops →

The Berghoff

Chicago, Illinois · on Route 66

A Chicago Loop restaurant dating to 1898, on Adams Street where westbound Route 66 begins.

Route 66 diners in Illinois (6)

Route 66 diners in Missouri (2)

Route 66 diners in Oklahoma (4)

Route 66 diners in Texas (1)

Route 66 diners in New Mexico (3)

Route 66 diners in Arizona (5)

Route 66 diners in California (13)

Route 66 diners: questions