Whether cruising through New Mexico at breakfast, lunch or dinner-time, you shouldn't go hungry for long. In Tucumcari the La Cita restaurant is instantly recognisable by the giant sombrero on the roof and has been a Route 66 staple since 1961. Santa Rosa offers a variety of 1950s diners including the Silver Moon Cafe, Sun 'n' Sand Restaurant (alongside the motel of the same name), the Comet Drive-In and Joseph's Bar and Grill , reportedly home of the best margarita on old 66.

Travellers are treated to an authentic blue plate special at the 66 Diner in Albuquerque. The diner looks vintage yet only opened in the late 1980s, owing its authenticity to its location: the building was a 1940s Phillips 66 service station. The Uranium Cafe in Grants is also experiencing new life, still serving 'home cooked' dishes, only now more Mexican and less American.