By Brittni Brown (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: January 9, 2013
32786 Lougheed Highway, Mission, BC
604-826-7612
Prices: up to $15.00
Hours: 24 hours
Do you ever wish you could experience the ‘50s for just one day? Wish you could step into an old-school diner lined with barstools serving milkshakes and pie?
Well you are in luck. There happens to be one diner nearby that offers a trip down memory lane.
Rocko’s authentic ‘50s diner serves up good old-fashioned burgers, shakes, and pies – and they definitely don’t scant on the portions. The 24-hour diner is the perfect location for anyone with the munchies around 3 a.m., looking for quick meal or simply some pie and coffee.
Their menu is exploding with deluxe and hefty meals, including burgers (one which even includes a hotdog on the burger), foot-longs, poutines, classic sandwiches, and even deep fried pickles! Equally as delicious and well-known are Rocko’s thick and creamy milkshakes. They are served right from the mixer and come in basically any flavour you can think up. I gave the classic vanilla a try and it definitely didn’t disappoint.
The full menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, desserts, milkshakes, and even Italian sodas. And if you’re not a burger person, roast beef, BBQ chicken, salad and steak are just a few alternatives offered.
Prices are fairly low for such a popular location—especially one situated in a city centre. Appetizers are approximately $7 and meals vary from $10-$14 per person; milkshakes are $5 a pop but are large enough to serve two people.
Raving reviews finally convinced me to venture out and give this place a try. I have to admit that all the hype left me with a more picturesque image of what the diner would look like; let’s just say I was a little leery of the building’s external appearance. The diner is . . . well, it is an authentic ‘50s diner. It appears to have been built inside a renovated double-wide trailer and is lined with tinkering red, neon lights. However, the full parking lot reassured me that I was at the right place.
Although I had my doubts, my whole experience can be summed up as a trip down memory lane. Upon entering I was greeted by a waitress who stood behind a countertop lined with several barstools, behind which was a shelf filled with a variety of pies. To the left was a long line booths—no tables in this place—and the walls were covered in photos of pin-up girls and old-school cars. While the service was not the friendliest, it was quick and diligent, and the atmosphere was extremely entertaining. On my way out I noticed one waitress sitting at a booth clearly labelled “staff only” reading a newspaper. Since she appeared to be on shift I figured this was a custom from the ‘50s which managed to stick around.
The restaurant has even gained Hollywood attention. It has served as set location for several films including Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief, The Tortured and Killer Amongst Us. Recently, Daniel Radcliffe was spotted having a quick bite to eat at Rocko’s, while in town filming his latest movie Horns.
Rocko’s originally opened in the 1956, and was called the Hi-Lite drive-in restaurant. It quickly became a town icon. In 1986 the Schiller family took over the operation and renamed the diner Rocko’s. It was Mission’s first drive-in and 24hr restaurant and has remained a town icon.
