My favorite linen postcards

When I began this blog I was inspired by my vintage postcard collection. I had focused my collection on restaurant cards and had built up a sizable collection. It all seemed so easy! But then I began to inquire about the history of restaurants in ways that exceeded my collection. In many cases it made more sense for a blog to feature pictures of the owners, or menus and advertisements. And, of course, I often had no postcard of the restaurant I wanted to write about.

So the postcard collection, useful from time to time, was not what determined what I investigated and wrote about. Sometimes I would try to feature certain postcards but it frequently turned out that when I did the research for those particular restaurants I wasn’t able to find enough about them to fill out a post.

But for this post some of my favorite postcards get to be the stars of the blog. I have picked out the best “linen” cards that can be found in our house. As postcard collectors know, “linen” refers to a kind of card printed on a textured paper material and that became dominant during the Depression and into the 1940s and 1950s. They have an almost comical quality that some collectors, myself included, like.

Here are what I consider the best linen restaurant cards in my collection. Which is your favorite?

Sorrento Inn, Highland, Indiana
“Most Popular Family Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge in the Calumet Region — Only 10 Miles from Chicago”

Hub Diner, Beaumont, Texas
“Eating Our Is Fun – The Diner of Counter and Car Service”

The Green Frog, Waycross, Georgia
“Air Conditioned – Good Food – Service with a Hop – Plenty Parking Space”

Garland’s Drive In, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“Featuring Tennessee Country Ham, Fried chicken and corn fed steaks – Fine Food – Tis the Taste that tells the Tale”

W-R Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois
“In the Heart of the Loop – There is No Better Food at Any Price!”

Dixie Restaurant, Johnson City, Tennessee
“The ‘DIXIE’ is the Pioneer Drive-in Restaurant in this section. Serving East Tennessee Since 1930. Today the ‘DIXIE’ is one of the outstanding Restaurants in the Southland.”

Burdick’s Drive-In Restaurant, St. Petersburg, Florida
“Our Meal Will Convince You that this is not just another Restaurant, but the Best Place to Eat – Sea food, Steaks, Chops, and Sandwiches – Fountain Service – Specializing in Fantail Jumbo Frenchfried Shrimp.”

Aberdeen Diner, Aberdeen, Maryland
“Good Food – Counter and Table Service – A La Carte and Full-Course Dinner – Courteous Service – Ample Parking”

The Cross Roads, North Oxford, Massachusetts
“Orchestra and Dancing Nightly – Cocktail Lounge and Two of Massachusetts’ Finest Dining Rooms”

Tops Diner, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
“Tops in Food, Tops in Service – New – Up To The Minute”

Gabe’s, Owensboro, Kentucky
“‘The Steak House of the South’ – Famous for food since 1922 – Recommended by Duncan Hines – ‘Where Southern hospitality is still the fashion.’” – [pseudo user message on back]: P. S. Have just finished eating one of Gabe’s Delicious Steaks! Wishing you were here to enjoy one –“

Pilot Café, Salt Lake City, Utah
“Salt Lake’s Newest Motor Lodge – Coffee Shop – Dining Room – Night Club in Connection”

© Jan Whitaker, 2026