On Twin Peaks Day 2020, Rachel and Max, the new owners of Twede’s Cafe (aka the Double R Diner) in North Bend, Washington shared the news they were taking over the iconic restaurant from Kyle Twede. To commemorate the end of an era in Snoqualmie Valley, I’m comparing the cafe’s appearances in all three seasons and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me with photos I took during three trips in September and October 2019 and January 2020.
BRIEF HISTORY OF TWEDE’S CAFE
Located at 137 W North Bend Way in North Bend, Washington, Mr. Twede purchased the restaurant in 1997 from Pat Cokewel who owned the establishment for 21 yearsl. The building opened in 1941 by Roy Thompson as Thompson’s Cafe but was renamed to Mar-T Cafe ten years later.
During filming in 1989 and 1991, Cokewell’s restaurant was known as the Mar-T Cafe. After a fire that closed the restaurant in July 2000, it reopened in 2001 as Twede’s Cafe. A neon “Twede’s” replaced word “Mar” on the giant red “T.”
On February 26, 2020, the Facebook group Living Twin Peaks shared three photos of work being done to the sign. Rachel and Max noted in a tweet:
“I should add that ‘updated’ doesn’t mean changed. It just means spruced up and shined! We may eventually get some new neon (more on that in the coming months) but the famous sign is staying for the long haul.”
The photos in this article will show the Twede’s sign before the change. It means I’ll have to return to North Bend to get updated images (twist my arm).
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – PILOT
Our first look at the diner happens when the waitress Heidi parks her tan 1968 Volkswagen Sedan “Beetle.” This scene was shot during the first day of filming on February 21, 1989.
We also see the red neon “RR” sign for the first time in the Pilot. Throughout the remainder of the series, it will disappear and reappear randomly. A close up of the sign was first seen in Episode 1001. It will also appear in Episodes 1003, 2004, 2005, and 2010.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – SIDE VIEWS
A side view of the diner with a snow-capped Mount Si is used as establishing shots throughout Seasons 1 and 2. The first appearance is in Episode 1002 and variations of this shot (with a logging truck) also appear in Episodes 1006, 2003, and 2008. There is no fir tree in the parking lot so it was most likely added during filming to cover most of the sign. I’m assuming the 1960 Ford Country Squire is Norma Jennings’ vehicle.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – FRONT VIEW WITH LOG TRUCK
A Mack Superliner is seen parked outside the Double R Diner in Episode 1003 and 1005. It may have also been captured during the first day of filming (based on the cloud cover for the day).
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – EMPTY LOT
An empty parking lot at night is used as establishing shots in both Episode 1007 and 2020.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – NORMA’S CAR
Another establishing shot of the front with possibly Norma Jennings’ car is found in Episode 2001, 2016 and 2022. There are variations of this scene used with both a log truck and a tan pick-up truck passing on screen. Oddly, the “RR” sign is missing.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – POLICE CAR
Episode 2002 is the only time a Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Deputy Car is parked at Double R Diner is in Episode 2002.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – WITH AND WITHOUT CARS
Additional front establishing shots are found in both Season 1 and 2.
Episode 2007 uses a shot of a lady sitting on a bench in front of the diner. No neon “RR” sign on the Mar-T Cafe sign.
A similar shot is found in Episode 2013 – no “RR” sign but the 1960 Ford Country Squire is present.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – CAFE SIGN
Episode 2013 also contains a unique shot of the Mar-T Cafe sign.It’s the only time it’s used in the series.
Here’s a non-cropped image of the sign.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
For Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me scenes, I combined images from both the theatrical release and the deleted or extended scenes from The Missing Pieces. The red neon “RR” sign appears again on the Mar-T Cafe sign. A yellow sign with black lettering – “Home of Twin Peaks Pies” was added to the Mar-T Cafe following the airing of Seasons 1 and 2.
Laura Palmer crosses the parking lot to see Mrs. Tremond and her Grandson.
Mount Si is barely seen behind Laura’s reaction shot.
Laura runs off after getting the framed photo for her wall from Mrs. Tremond.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – SEASON 3 RETURN
When Twin Peaks returned for a third season on Showtime in summer 2017, Twede’s Cafe was redecorated and remodeled. The above photo was an official publicity still shared by the Showtime team. Notice the pie and coffee mural has a Twede’s Cafe mug. The neon red “RR” sign is back next a refurbished “Mar-T” sign.
Viewers needed to wait until Part 5 aired on June 4, 2017 to get a first look at the Double R Diner.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – MOUNT SI
Part 6 aired on June 11, 2017 and contained another shot of the diner with the “Twin Peaks” (aka Mt. Si) looming in the background.
Here’s a similar shot of the exterior during my trip on January 23, 2020. Loved seeing snow at the top of the mountain.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – NIGHT
Airing on July 21, 2017, Part 11 offered the first nighttime glimpse of the diner.
The episode contains additional shots of Deputy Bobby Briggs investigating outside the building as seen below.
I liked this nighttime shot of the police car pulling next to the Twede’s Cafe mural. We haven’t seen a police car in the parking lot since Episode 2002.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – BIG ED ARRIVES
Big Ed parks his truck at the diner in Part 15.
I adore all the shots of the Cafe with Mount Si looming in the background like this one in Part 15.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – PART 18
The last time we see the diner is in Part 18 when Cooper/Richard and Carrie Page drive by on empty streets.
THEN AND NOW – DOUBLE R DINER – ATMOSPHERIC
One bonus shot is found from the Atmospheric scenes on the 2014 Blu-ray set.
Thank you to Kyle Twede for his years of service to the North Bend community. Wishing the best to Rachel and Max as they embark on a new adventure. Can’t wait to visit again!
