In downtown Fort Wayne, there is a small diner where the line sometimes forms outside the door.

Cindy's Diner has just 15 seats at the counter, and WPTA reports that it is often full, with people waiting outside to get in.

For more than 75 years, hungry diners have been grabbing a seat for a dish with a memorable name: garbage.

WPTA ran the story in January as part of its We the People series, calling the diner a Fort Wayne institution that has served the community for 75 years.

Here is a look at the diner's long history, its signature plate and what to know before you go.

A diner with many names

WPTA reports that the diner was built in 1952 by the Valentine Manufacturing Company in Wichita, Kansas.

A man named Noah Clauss brought it to Fort Wayne and placed it at the corner of Clinton and Jefferson streets downtown, calling it Noah's Ark.

Eight years later, it was sold and renamed Paul's Diner, and it later moved to Clay and Berry streets as Marge's Diner.

A restaurant-delivery listing adds that, during its years as Marge's Diner, it was a hangout for local police.

When John and Cindy Scheele bought and restored it in 1990, it became Cindy's Diner.

That timeline means the diner has changed names and addresses several times while keeping its retro character.

It moved again in 2014 to make room for the Ash Skyline building, and it now sits at Berry Street and Maiden Lane.

The same listing says a donut machine from Murphy's Dime Store was added in 1997, a small nod to downtown's past.

From dishwasher to owner

Angela Rowedda started at Cindy's Diner 29 years ago, when she was 18, washing dishes through a temporary agency job.

She went on to work as a server and bought the diner from the Scheeles in 2016.

She has said it is the only job she has held as an adult.

After buying the diner, she kept the Cindy's name, because longtime customers knew it that way and she did not want to buy a new neon sign.

Rowedda does all of the cooking herself, according to WPTA.

Her daughter, Destiny, washes dishes, runs the cash register and takes carry-out orders, and Sheila serves the food.

The famous plate called garbage

Rowedda describes the signature dish as potatoes, onion, ham, cheese and eggs all mixed together.

It is not so much a skillet, she explains, but a plate where everything is blended and made to your order.

Customers can change the meat, add other vegetables or leave things out.

One regular told WPTA that she has stopped in for lunch nearly every day for six or seven years.

Her usual order is either the garbage or a hamburger served on a grilled cheese sandwich.

The restaurant-delivery listing also shows a #1 Breakfast Special of two eggs any style, American fries, your choice of bacon, ham or sausage, and toast.

Online review summaries also frequently mention the garbage plate, the biscuits and gravy and the doughnuts.

Why people keep coming back

That regular says the food is good, inexpensive and always fits into her lunch break.

Rowedda says the staff tries to know their customers and what they like, and that they will go out of their way to get something a regular asks for.

She also notes that the counter is a place where strangers talk to one another, which she sees as a community touch that is getting harder to find.

Planning your visit

Listings place Cindy's Diner at 230 W. Berry St. in downtown Fort Wayne, and the phone number listed is (260) 422-1957.

WPTA reports that the diner is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A few online listings show Saturday hours, so call ahead if you are planning a weekend visit.

Because the diner closes at 2 p.m., breakfast and lunch are the times to go.

If you are visiting from out of town, a counter-service breakfast here pairs naturally with a walk through downtown.

Because there are only 15 counter seats, expect to wait at busy times and bring a little patience.

Parking details and accepted payment methods were not clearly listed in the sources reviewed, so you may want to carry some cash and plan where you will park.

If anyone in your group has accessibility needs, a quick call before you go can help you plan around the small counter space.

Seasonal specials are mentioned in some online write-ups, so it can be worth asking what is on offer that day.

Hours, menu items and prices can change, so please confirm the details with the diner before you head downtown.

For a counter seat, a hot plate and a bit of Fort Wayne history, Cindy's Diner is a small place with a big story.