Founded by David T. Zwart

Clocked!Diner was born out of my childhood in the early 70s  A world of flock wallpaper, shag carpeting, chrome, plastic, and bright colors that somehow felt both futuristic and familiar. I grew up bouncing between quirky little diners across Kalamazoo, Chicago, Detroit, and the Midwest, with my mom leading the way. She had a knack for finding the places with personality. The diners with strange murals, mismatched booths, loud characters, breakfast carts, jukebox tables, fried bologna sandwiches, and menus that felt like they were written just for us.

Those diners weren’t just restaurants. They were worlds.
Places where kids, travelers, weirdos, workers, families, and all kinds of people ended up under the same neon glow, eating honest comfort food cooked by real hands. Places with charm, flaws, imagination, and soul.

Clocked! is my attempt to bring that feeling forward.  Through a diner that blends American regional comfort food, early-70s retro energy, and a splash of science-fiction and monster-movie nostalgia. It's a love letter to the places I grew up with, to the diners that shaped my imagination, and to the sense of community that only a small, eccentric American diner can create.

Here at Clocked!, we serve smashburgers, fries, shakes, onion rings, and playful, comfort-driven dishes made with care. We celebrate the strange, the nostalgic, the colorful, and the fun. We want every guest. Locals, students, families, night owls, and wanderers .  To feel like they’ve stepped into a slightly different universe… but one that still feels like home.

Clocked!Diner is not just a restaurant.
It’s a memory, a vibe, and an invitation to enjoy something simple, joyful, and distinctly Athens.

Welcome to the diner I always wanted to build.
Welcome to Clocked!Diner