Fleetwood Diner in Ann Arbor

Summer  2024

I'm so glad Don and I got to once again have a breakfast adventure, at Fleetwood Diner!

Last June, we made it back in Ann Arbor on a warm summery day.

1980

Before then, the last time we stopped at the iconic diner, was on a frigid February day in 1980. We were still newlyweds, stopping through town on our way from St. Louis, to the Lake Placid Olympics in NY. We had breakfast with my little brother and he snapped our pic.

44 years later, my older brother took a photo of Don and me. The little diner, built from a kit in 1949, had changed a bit over the years. In 1997, stainless steel panels were added, to cover the original enamel exterior. Now stickers cover the stainless walls.

On the Corner
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Don and I arrived around 9 am. The college town was still sleepy on a June morning. 

I tried to recall when I'd first eaten at the diner. It must have been around 1973. I was 16 and my family had just moved to Ann Arbor. That was about a year after the old Dag-Wood's Diner building, (from the 1949) became Fleetwood Diner.

​2005

I also snapped a photo of the Fleetwood, in the fall of 2005. We were in town with our daughter, who was a freshman at U of M. There was no time for a meal, but I pointed the epic food joint out to Heidi and told her my recollections from when I was a teen. I remember being intimidated by what seemed, a tough dining crowd and a grumpy cook and impatient servers. Could have just been me.

Heidi was amused when I reminded her that her parents never knew each other Ann Arbor. Don and I both lived in the liberal college town, from 1973-75. I was in high school and Don was a UM student. We didn't meet until 1977, when living in St. Louis. Our breakfast in 1980 was extra special, since we were sharing an Ann Arbor experience for the first time. 

Stickers!
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Last summer, I admired the quiet diner as we approached. I noticed the glowing neon letters on the sign. (new sign in 1992)

I was surprised to see stickers plastering the stainless steel panels and glass windows. ​
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There were bacon smells and sounds of music when I opened the door. Middle Eastern music?  

Once inside we found 6 tables and 5 stools, all empty. I don't remember ever seeing this sticker craziness. I do remember having to wait for a table, though. Maybe it's more crowded late at night, since the diner is open 24 hours.

Colorful Corner

Weather was so lovely outside, but we chose an inside table, where we could be entertained by the happy banter between 2 young women servers and a man standing over the sizzling grill.

We ordered coffee first. The stickers were also entertaining. 

The white walls, windows and ceiling were covered in colorful images and words. The YETI sticker was a reminder that it was not 1973.

I don't remember the interior ever feeling this tidy. The stickers weren't at all grungy. They seemed somewhat thoughtfully placed. 

We placed our orders with Ari (hope that's right) and I asked her about all those stickers. She laughed that she'd been working at Fleetwood for 7 years and they part of the job was "policing" the stickers. I guess some questionables have to be removed.

Ari & Jeff

I interrupted Jeff while he was cooking our breakfast on the grill. I seized the moment, just before a party of 6 headed inside.

I never in a million years would have asked to get a photo of any employees on past visits. But now, the vibe was very welcoming. I pulled up my 1980 photo on my phone and both were properly amused. 

Meaty Hippie Hash

Here's a photo of me with my humongous plate of Hippie Hash!

The Original Hippie Hash breakfast has been on the menu since Fleetwood opened in 1971. I ordered the meaty version for $13.59.

Hash browns with corned beef, topped with grilled green peppers, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms and feta cheese. 2 eggs any style. It was absolutely packed with tangy flavor. The broccoli may not be for all, but I loved how the tiny pieces blended right in!

Family Dining

A meal at Fleetwood Diner is always more fun with a brother. This time it was my older brother and his wife. They Ubered over from our hotel for a late breakfast. Don and I took our coffee outside to  join them. 

I felt like we lucked out with an inside & outside dining adventure, rolled into one. There we were, sitting under the metal awning, dining on the sidewalk at Ann Arbor's very first sidewalk cafe. 

​We did our posing just before taking off. So glad to have made another Fleetwood Memory. 

So glad this little business is still on the corner, serving up pretty darn decent diner food!
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