New York City diners through the years

It's not a cheeseburger without the bun. A worker watches as fresh hamburger rolls come out of the oven at Fink Bakery in Queens.

House special! A woman goes for the works -- a hamburger and milkeshake -- while enjoying her counterside lunch.

She's ready to dig in! A woman piles up her plate at a buffet-style eatery on 42nd Street in 1942.

Who says supermodels don't eat cheeseburgers? Model Paulina Porzikova chows down in 1986.

Looks like someone won't be celebrating National Cheeseburger Day. In 1942, a New York City diner on 42nd Street experiments with "No Hamburger Tuesday," offering up hot dogs instead.

Former President Richard Nixon enjoys his java from the counter of a New York City diner in 1980.

There's nothing like a strong cup of joe! President Jimmy Carter mingles with his constituents over coffee at Buffalo diner in 1976. But he's not the only commander-in-chief to dig in at a local hamburger joint ...

A burly pack of New York Jets take on their opponents, the New York Giants, in a burger eating contest at a New York City eatery in 1974.

Customer service isn't what it used to be. A waitress on roller skates skillfully delivers a tray full of food to hungry customers in the 1940s.

Talk about unlikely dinner companions! Donald Trump may have dined at some of the best restaurants New York City has to offer, but that doesn't mean he can resist the lure of a good greasy diner. The real estate mogul and his wife Ivana are snapped sharing a juicy bite with TV legend Barbara Walters in 1989.

When it comes to getting the best burger in town, nothing beats the good old fashioned diner. As America celebrates National Cheeseburger Day on Sept. 18, 2013, take a look back at New York hamburger joints through the decades ...

After a long day at work, Daily News reporters unwind and fill up at the Cheyenne Diner on the corner of 33rd and Ninth Avenue in New York City.

Hamburger joints have certainly become a staple in American pop culture. Here, Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Daniel Stern and Timothy Daly take a load off over coffee while starring in the 1982 comedy "Diner."

Can we go back to the days when hamburgers only cost 39 cents? Hungry New Yorkers line up oustide the Grand diner for a bite to eat in the 1940s.