In a bittersweet ending to an era, the Neptune Diner in Astoria, Queens served its final breakfast plates on Sunday, signaling yet another closure for an iconic New York City establishment. With its red-tiled roof and stone facade that dates back to the 1960s, the Neptune Diner has been a mainstay in the neighborhood, attracting locals and visitors alike with its classic diner fare.

Customers flocked to the nostalgic eatery for a final taste of its beloved dishes, leading many to order a second meal to go. Brendan O'Brien, a patron at the diner, expressed his sadness, emphasizing the significant role diners play in the fabric of New York City. O'Brien's observation resonates as many traditional diners have been disappearing across the five boroughs, a trend that has escalated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decline of diners in New York City has been a gradual process, with the number of these establishments falling by half over the past two decades, according to a 2016 report by The New York Times. Even prior to the pandemic, long-established diners such as Good Stuff Diner in Chelsea struggled to survive and eventually closed their doors forever.

Neptune Diner, like several others in the city, used to operate around the clock but had to adapt its business hours due to the pandemic. Since 2020, its operating hours have been reduced to 7 a.m. to midnight. Sabrina Karpe, a local Astoria resident, lamented the loss of diners that were once scattered throughout the city, reminiscing about a time when they were a defining feature of New York's identity. Karpe highlighted the significance of diners, pointing to the popular TV show Seinfeld, where the characters famously gathered at a diner, embodying the quintessential New York experience.

For Tina and George Graham, residents of the neighborhood for over two decades, the closure of Neptune Diner holds personal meaning. Tina reminisced about bringing blind dates to the diner before meeting her husband, underscoring the sentimental value attached to these beloved establishments.

However, amid the closure of the Astoria location, two other branches of Neptune Diner, located in Bayside, Queens, and Crown Heights, Brooklyn, continue to serve loyal customers.

As another iconic New York City diner closes its doors, the loss of Neptune Diner further symbolizes the fading presence of diners in the city's cultural landscape. While some establishments manage to persevere, the closure of Neptune Diner reinforces the challenges facing these cherished institutions in an ever-changing culinary landscape.