Route 66 travelers knew Diamond Cafe in Sapulpa as Norma’s Diamond Cafe. Norma and Bob Hall opened it in 1950 as part of a filling station operation, building a following through good food and personal hospitality. 01-07
Michael Wallis featured Norma in Route 66: The Mother Road, introducing her to an even wider audience. She became as much an attraction as the cafe itself. 01-07
I remember stopping for breakfast after a long day of driving. The coffee seemed weak, though perhaps my bleary eyes were partly responsible. Norma herself served it, and her friendliness more than made up for any missing caffeine.
Diamond Cafe (Norma's Diamond Cafe) (Gone)
Sapulpa, OK Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Norma passed away on November 23, 2000. The cafe briefly continued under other operators, but the original business soon ended. Finding another breakfast was easier than replacing that welcome. 01-07
UPDATE: Norma's Diamond Cafe is now gone and was replaced in 2004 by a business called Trikntrux. 10-10
UPDATE: The Diamond Cafe is now gone. The original building was demolished in 2004 and the property was redeveloped. Today, the site is occupied by a truck accessories business. The classic roadside sign was removed, and its current whereabouts could not be independently verified. 06-26
Hi-Way Cafe
Vinita, OK Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner 1996
The Hi-Way Cafe sign watches over Route 66 west of Vinita, where the Mother Road shares pavement with the historic Jefferson Highway. Even with its neon dark, the multi-tiered marquee made an impression. 01-07
Tom Schwartz opened the cafe in 1963, serving travelers, truckers and neighbors with home-style cooking. For years, the sign remained a familiar landmark without its nighttime glow.
UPDATE: The family-owned cafe remains open, and its original neon sign was restored and relit in 2023 with preservation support. Oversized attractions, including a Muffler Man, now give visitors even more to look over before heading inside. 06-26
Busy Bee Cafe (Gone)
Hugo, OK Photo courtesy Chris Small
The Busy Bee Cafe sign once pointed hungry visitors toward a longtime Hugo favorite. Sam and Charlotte Young established the business in 1973, earning a following for comfort food, the Samburger and a breakfast burrito called the “Samlette.” 10-07
The cafe remained a community fixture through relocations and changes. In a town known as “Circus City USA,” its customers came from a colorful mix of local residents and travelers.
UPDATE: The Busy Bee closed years ago, and Security First National Bank now occupies the site. Another familiar roadside meal stop has become a memory. 06-26
Rock Cafe
Stroud, OK Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The Rock Cafe has welcomed Route 66 travelers to Stroud since 1939. Built with local sandstone uncovered during highway paving, it had a distinctive appearance and a ready-made name.
A devastating fire on May 20, 2008, left its future uncertain. Fortunately, the stone walls, foundation and longtime cast-iron grill “Betsy” survived. This old cafe still had something to build on. 09-08
Owner Dawn Welch also helped inspire Sally Carrera in Pixar’s Cars, introducing another generation to the Mother Road.
UPDATE: The Rock Cafe will be open again for business around the end of May 2009 after restoration efforts are wrapped-up. The Rock Cafe has been a vital part of Route 66 since 1939. 05-09
UPDATE: The cafe reopened in 2009 and continues serving Route 66 travelers. Its vintage neon sign was restored and relit in 2025, bringing another familiar glow back to Stroud. 06-26
Tally's Cafe
Tulsa, OK Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The neon above Tally's Cafe welcomes hungry visitors along Tulsa’s Route 66. It isn’t the largest sign on the highway, but the promise of a meal gives motorists another reason to notice. 08-17
Tally Alame opened the restaurant in 1987 after taking over Mark and Mary’s. All-day breakfast, chicken-fried steak and enormous cinnamon rolls helped turn the neighborhood diner into a familiar Mother Road stop.
Closing rumors circulated in 2015, but Tally’s kept serving beneath the neon. Fortunately, breakfast stayed on the menu.
UPDATE: Tally’s remains open. Preservation funding in 2019 helped add decorative neon to the building, while the familiar script sign continues glowing above the entrance. 06-26
Route 66 travelers knew 
Hi-Way Cafe
Busy Bee Cafe (Gone)
Rock Cafe
