First thing you notice is the sign above the kitchen. “In God We Trust. One Nation Under God. God Bless America. God Shed His Grace on Thee.” And around that, nostalgia. Poster tributes to Coca Cola’s 50th anniversary, “1886-1936,” a California US 101 sign, chalkboard ads for “meatloaf dinner Wednesdays” (with roasted potatoes, $10.95), and a whole bunch of little signs. “Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” “There is a $5 charge for whining.” “You don’t have to be crazy to work here. We’ll train you!” And “Stop and Thank a Soldier.”

Operator Jose Hernandez is one of those success stories you read about in books. “I started off at 12, working in the strawberry fields here, then I wanted to better myself, so I got a job washing dishes at a Daisy’s. That was a chain — Daisy chain! — and after 25 years, I was the general manager of all 17 of them.”

In 1998, he bought Mary’s from the real Mary, who ran it as a fast-food kind of Buddha lounge. “I turned it into this family restaurant. Within a day of taking over, our sales went from $400 per day to $2000 per day. And up from there.”