Valentines were small eight- to twelve-seat diners with a limited menu, making them ideal for a one-person operation. It provided an opportunity to operate a profitable business with very little capital.

The diners were manufactured in Wichita from the late 1930s into the mid-1970s. Sales of the buildings expanded nationwide, and Valentines soon were all over the United States. The diners often were located along major highways, and many of them are still in use today.

Here you'll find a history of the Valentine operation, as well as locations and images of these diners in Kansas. You'll also see great historic photographs of lunch wagons and catalogs, learn about entrepreneur Arthur Valentine, and probably get hungry just thinking about diner food!

Explore these links on the Valentine story:

History of Valentine diners

Find Valentine diners in Kansas

Find Valentine diners in other U.S. states

How can you tell it's a Valentine?