New Jersey has more diners than any other state in the country — and we're losing them fast. In the past decade alone, more than 100 NJ diners have permanently closed. The Cherry Hill Diner, open for 58 years, now sits abandoned. The Collingswood Diner, after 50 years in business, was sold and is being converted into a cannabis dispensary. With every closure, a piece of New Jersey disappears.

The problem isn't a lack of love. These family-owned institutions are being squeezed out by rising labor costs, rent, and repair expenses — pressures that a chain restaurant can absorb far more easily than a family that has been flipping pancakes in the same booth for generations. Even the 24-hour diner, once a Garden State staple, is becoming nearly impossible to maintain.

Now there's a bill to help. The Saving Our Diners and Preserving Our Past Act — the SODA POP Act — would create a historic diner registry for qualifying establishments: small businesses, family-owned, and open for at least 25 years. Registered diners would receive a tax credit of up to $25,000 a year, an exemption from the state's 6.625% sales tax, and a historic designation to attract visitors and foot traffic.

The bill has already advanced through committees in both the Senate and the Assembly. It just needs a full vote in both chambers and the governor's signature to become law.

New Jersey is the diner capital of the world. These aren't just restaurants — they're where we celebrated birthdays, caught up with old friends, and sat in a booth at 2 a.m. because we could. They deserve a fighting chance.

We are calling on the New Jersey Legislature to pass the SODA POP Act and send it to the governor's desk now.

Sign to save New Jersey's diners.

Photo: Albany Times Union via Getty Images