Today's diners, with vintage memorabilia, polished chrome, retro styles and homemade eats, offer a sharp contrast to cheap, greasy grub consumed in a converted railroad car that was the original diner experience. Here are five fine diners in the Valley Forge area that offer fun, affordability and surprisingly good food.

Daddypops in Hatboro is affectionately named after owner Ken Smith's grandfather. In this intimate eatery, with its eight booths and two barbershop chairs anchoring the counter, patrons literally line up to be served.

Breakfast is the most sought-after meal and the flapjacks feature a certain secret ingredient that Smith says he'll never reveal. The home fries are simple yet popular. The diner goes through about 800 pounds of potatoes a week.

The freshness is apparent at Towne Restaurant in Telford, Pa., in the former Fenstermacher building. "We make everything here and all the recipes are mine, my mom's mom's or my husband's," said owner--and often waitress--Pam Brunner. The tasty soups are so popular they're offered to go by the gallon.

In the quaint shopping village of Skippack, Mal's American Diner is one of several eateries, but for breakfast and lunch it is often the busiest. With an art deco vibe, Mal's offers variety in both atmosphere and menu. Visitors will find everything from grits, chipped beef and eggs Benedict to beer, wine and coffee drinks, right through dinner.

The menu at Ruby's Diner, inside King of Prussia Mall, features a mix of burgers, salads and milk shakes. Burgers are the biggest sellers, but the new Kobe beef, turkey and breakfast sliders are a real hit.

At Ray's Restaurant and Malt Shop in East Norriton, turkey clubs and Reubens rule midday, while traditional hot oven-roasted turkey and meat loaf platters are the most popular evening meals.

A diner experience doesn't seem complete without a milk shake. Ray's uses locally crafted Nelson's Ice Cream for all the treats served in its '50s-style malt shop, tucked in the back of the restaurant.