MidPoint Cafe

About

Midpoint Cafe sits in Adrian at Route 66's traditional halfway point between Chicago and Los Angeles. Roadside signs commemorate the location as 1,139 miles from either endpoint, making the café a popular milestone for Mother Road travelers. The business began in 1928 as Zella's, a modest one-room café with a dirt floor. It expanded in 1947 and once operated around the clock during Route 66's busiest years.

After operating under several names, Fran Houser purchased the café in 1990 and adopted the Midpoint Cafe name in 1995. Today, the nostalgic diner and gift shop remains especially known for hamburgers, Route 66 memorabilia, and its homemade “Ugly Crust” pies. Houser and the café also became associated with Pixar's Cars; multiple Route 66 sources identify her as an inspiration for Flo and the diner as part of the research behind Radiator Springs.

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