*They have weird hours so please check those ahead of time!* My husband & I went here today to have breakfast at noon, yup NOON! You can have breakfast anytime or you can have lunch. The owner, Kay, took our orders & I made chit chat with her. What an amazing woman! THE RESTAURANT: While it is pretty small in here (think if you sneeze walking by, you'll miss it!) the place is very laid back & warm feeling. I finally made it here. The owner, Kay, said after Covid, she cut back the diner's hours, things were slow to come back. THE FOOD: My husband got the #1-scrambled, with a pancake, coffee is included & here ordered an orange juice. I ordered the #2- over medium with sausage & rye toast, coffee is included. The food was delicious! As we sat at the counter, talking to Kay, I noticed that the seats were comfortable & not lumpy & bumpy like most counter seats. The coffee was Omar coffee but also good. Kay told us they make the pancakes from scratch daily. I watched her make the home fries, also from scratch. This place is definitely a must visit if you want to try a throw back from the days when you walked in and people were nice & kind & genuinely just wanted to be friendly. Prices are decent, too. read more

See all

Ford News Diner is a solid spot for a quick, affordable bite, and the cheesesteak was definitely the highlight. My only real knock is that portion sizes felt a bit light, and it'd be nice if sandwiches came with a side rather than having to order everything à la carte. Still a great budget-friendly option when you need something fast. read more

I used to get a breakfast sandwich and home fries before getting on the bus to go to work. The food was still warm when I got to work and delicious. read more

The one and only always. I've been going here since I went to the college nearby (I graduated in '93) it's just as delicious as always. The service is absolutely the best, the owner is just the sweetest. The authentic and classic ct diner ambiance is 100% a reason to go. If I could give it a higher score I would. read more

JJ's is gone O'Rourke's is gone the counter at Woolworths is gone only Ford News remains and for good reason. i stopped in as i was driving through my old hometown for a bit of classic Middletown and no one delivers better than Ford News , still the best blueberry pancakes on the planet and the home fries are top shelf, my son loved his Hash and Eggs , Great cuppa Joe , i need to come home more often read more

My favorite place to get a quick, comfort-food lunch in Middletown. They are fast and consistently delicious. Great people and atmosphere. read more

Ford News Diner - Chicken fajita wrap. - Diners Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

The food was great and the staff was so kind. We had breakfast here and recommend everything on the menu. The French toast and pancakes were the delicious and the eggs were amazing. The food came out so quickly and it was great for the price. Highly recommend this place if you find yourself in Middletown. read more

It's Sunday morning and your bud says he wants a plain old breakfast with great corn beef hash. Now you know where to take him. Ford News is almost exactly what you think of when someone utters the term "greasy spoon". A long, narrow diner tucked in between the other hip eateries on Main St., a place lost in time. The service is borderline abusive in the sweetest way possible. It's hard not to smile. That corned beef hash though. The coffee is exactly what you want in a place like this. The menu has something for everyone. Just kidding. It has what they make, which is the most basic of basic diner food. But they do it really well. The price is what it is. It's expensive to eat out now. The hash is worth it. read more

This was the fastest dining experience ever. The food came out instantly it seemed. It's a great spot when you're looking for a great breakfast but also not looking to waste hours of your weekend at breakfast. The eggs were amazing! Nice and fluffy. Service was definitely quick and efficient. read more

Ford News Diner - two plates of breakfast food - Diners Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Delicious and great price!! Small place but pretty cozy in my opinion. Staff was kind and efficient.

Great service. No wait for a table. Classic, old school diner food. Not fancy, but good atmosphere.

Home style food. Staple of the town. Great Service from Ms.Kay who makes everyone feel like a friend.

The food was amazing and it came out incredibly fast. The atmosphere here was also impeccable and having come from out of town this place was nice change. read more

I have been going there for many years by myself or with family. Interesting people go there . Food is great.

Best corned beef hash I've ever had! Old school diner with a friendly atmosphere. The Wesleyan folks should walk down from the crepe place and come here instead! read more

Pretty cool diner aesthetic and nice people. I'm not too picky, but my hometown hash was legitimately hard to finish. I ate enough to get me through to lunch and left the rest. read more

It is what it is. The food was okay but nothing exciting. Didn't get potatoes because they looked a bit greasy.

Just the kind of cheap slop and unassuming collection of regulars sitting at a chrome countertop that a simple gal like me likes for breakfast. Bargain basement prices on basic, conventional eggs/homefries/toast/coffee. Skip the strawberries in the pancakes, they were overripe and runny. Just aim for conventional diner fare here, be friendly, say hello, sit at the counter, absorb the local art murals, tin ceiling, 40 year regulars and kind family of staff. read more

It my be one of the smallest diners you ever eat in but it pulls it's weight with GOOD FOOD try the home made corned beef hash so yummy and you get your money's worth,had to bring the rest of mine home. But the Chili dogs are my favorite. But don't forget about the Western omelette with sausage on the side and fresh hot toast. Also the owner and her son are very nice people. It's right downtown not far from the bus terminal. So if you want good food at just the right price you have to try Ford News Diner. read more

Ok! This place is a staple in Middletown. Old style True American Diner. The owners man the front counter and is known by all the regulars. She's amazing! The food is your typical diner fare made to order. No frills! If you're in Middletown and want a quick bite to eat, come to Ford! read more

Every Sunday is naturally awake, I have to go to the church before 11 o'clock, and I don't want to cook breakfast. I come here for breakfast. I especially like the atmosphere inside. It is very warm and comfortable, especially the lady of the boss, love to chat. This breakfast shop has been open for 30 years. Although the space is a bit small, the food is absolutely good, because my children like to eat breakfast here, a happy day begins with breakfast, recommend!!! read more

Good food. Good value. Great owners and staff. Food comes out really fast. This place is a Middletown staple for good reason. read more

The Ford Is "the" breakfast place in Middletown central. Service was typical northeastern, straight and to the point. Prompt, polite. But not southern so know where you are. Eggs over easy done right. This is not easy. Then, I had a new camera and some of the features changed. I wanted to shoot a wedding the next day but was having trouble. Sarah, working the counter we were sitting at, called her daughter who is a professional photographer in case she could help. She handed me the phone and her daughter indeed solved it! To recap - busy diner, great food, (and professional photography advice!!!!) This is yankee hospitality at its best. Yes the food is tops, and the people are the best. read more

Ford News Diner - the outside of the restaurant - Diners Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Good food, quick service, cheap prices, and really neat interior. Guy at the counter told us they've been open 39 years. Hot stuff.

Super friendly and cute diner! Got my food right away and everyone there seemed like a big family!

I like old school diners No frills No organic foods only .This is the pl;ace for old school diner food.The grill is right behind the counter.You can watch what the cook is doing to your eggs .Mostly just counter seating but they do have a couple of small tables They have to be small because the place is small Long and narrow The food is diner food but good diner food .Nothing fancy but good food cooked well .Friendly owner and waitresses You cannot go wrong here read more

After hitting the polls on Election Day, my girls and I were hungry. Down to Ford News Diner we went. We were warmly greeted as soon as we walked through the door but that pleasantry was shortly lived for me when I looked around and saw only 2 person tables. Feeling a little embarrassed, we sat down, me with a 3 year old on my lap. We ordered very simple items. Eggs, pancakes, French toast, and while we were waiting for our order I was able to glance around. This diner hasn't seen many (if any) updates since it opened. There is quite a bit of dust and the whole place seemed a bit gloomy to me. I also noted that there are a lot of regulars that dine there. When they enter they are greeted by name and chat with the owners while seated at the bar. It's definitely nice to see the place has roots in the community and the people there have made friends. Our order came up quickly and everything was good. There was nothing overly phenomenal here but it was good, honest food. Honestly, I'd go back if the place wasn't so cramped and dirty. read more

See all

Four stars just for the price alone. You can walk out of Ford News completely stuffed, and find your bill comes to less than six (6!!!!) bucks. They've done a nice renovation in here since last year, now the walls are full of pictures of their "best customers" and there are little awnings over your table. Most of the restaurant is taken up by a big bar, so you really ought to come here with groups of 4 or less. The menu is pretty basic. Pancakes, eggs, french toast, bacon, sausage - this is a good stripped-down alternative to fancypants brunch. You can eat quickly and cheaply and usually without a wait, even on a Sunday morning. Who doesn't love that? read more

Ford New is a nice little old quaint breakfast spot on main street in Middletown. I do mean little - seating in this place is pretty tight during peak breakfast times = probably because their prices are super reasonable. usually if there is no place to sit at o'rourkes we come down to ford. a little less interesting than o'rourkes but still good breakfast. (not open late!!) read more

This place is really great when it's open. If you're looking for an all American breakfast, you really can't go wrong with Ford News. Sometimes it's crowded but not overcrowded. If it's possible, I suggest sitting closer to the front of the diner. I once had a seat near the back, which is where the rest rooms are. That was a terrible dining experience. It has a few outdoor seats, but it's right by an alley, and kinda feels... I don't know? Not like the best spot to eat breakfast. Kinda smells like car exhaust, dish water, and garbage. The staff is very friendly. No complains regarding service. Prices are low, which is nice, but they only take cash, which is terrible. I really can't stand that. I also think their hours are terrible. If you want some great breakfast at breakfast time, stop in. If you want some great breakfast at one in the morning, sorry, you gotta go to Athenian on Washington Street. And the only reason I bring this up is because it's called Ford News DINER. I personally expect a DINER to be open late. The location is prefect for late night dining. More than once, I've left a local bar and said that I wished Ford News was open at night. read more

Affordable and great quality food for all the many years I've been coming here. I love Kay too! Definitely recommend their burgers and fries! read more

Such a simple place, with such a great atmosphere and such good hearty breakfast. Staff is friendly, and fun. This is a great little diner! Try it! read more

We needed a fast, efficient place for lunch and was hoping for good food. No time to check yelp reviews--- but we were walking down the street and found this classic northeast diner with few tables, a long counter and efficient hard working people who were extremely efficient. Four of us sat down for a quick lunch and we needed to be done in ~30 minutes--- and with the help of that crew we made it! The surprise was the quality. Can recommend chicken salad and a philly beef sandwich with peppers and onions to all. The cheeseburger was classic. If you are a fan of crinkle cuts you should order them here. I hope to visit again and try breakfast and stay longer. IF you do have time constraints these are your folks to deliver a hot, cost reasonable product. Recommended. read more

Love going here for breakfast. Convenient location, good and friendly service, and consistently good food. Simple and good, just the way it should be. read more

No frills, but great food and inexpensive. I don't know what they put in the hotcakes, but they are amazing. For more insights, check out my full review on my Stefcations blog. Here's an excerpt: I came for an omelet, although there are a good number of other options, from their 'famous' pancakes to various combinations of eggs, bacon, homemade hash, toast, and more. The Ford News veggie omelet - eggs, mushroom, tomato, onion, peppers, and cheese - is pretty standard as far as omelet ingredients go, but it was also cooked perfectly. And with a dash of hot sauce, it totally hit the spot. read more

If you are looking for a reasonably priced, quick service breakfast place you found it with ford news. The diner small and almost every customer knows one another. I went here for breakfast one day and got bacon eggs and toast. Everything was good not amazing though. The place definitely has seen better days. It could use a good cleaning or a remodel. The other downside it's on main st so parking is a real pain. read more

Stopped in for a quick breakfast sandwich yesterday morning. This place has been around forever and has been run by the same woman for as long as I can remember. Its a total old school, no frills diner. I will reserve my final opinion until I sample their lunch menu and burgers but the breakfast sandwich was good. Nothing earth shattering...just a run of the mill sausage egg and cheese on a hard roll. Service was super quick and friendly. A good place to stop and grab a bite to eat. read more

Ford News diner is a fun friendly place to visit for breakfast. The location is incredibly difficult to find, even after 51 years of being tucked in to a small space on Main Street Middletown. The inside is tiny, but quaint and has more of restaurant feel than that of a diner. The food is good here. It would be hard to screw up a breakfast but the eggs are cooked perfectly, sausage tasted great, and service was excellent. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of food served and it's definitely worth a repeat visit. read more

No caption needed. Best spot for the up and go folks. Fast friendly and above all cost effective. read more

See all

What can we say about Ford News? With a friendly environment, this friendly hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint is sure to satisfy the needs of any brunchie. Although not accommodating for parties of more than four, The Middletown Dining Club can still get behind its old timey charm. The menu appears extensive at first glance, but much like a Mexican restaurant there are really only seven different items which can be ordered in different combinations. in summary and conclusion, of the vast kingdom that is Middletown breakfast choices, Ford News is one. Sincerely yours, The MDC P.S. Kielbasa pancakes. read more