On a rare night after supervising his diner, Lynn Loud Sr. visits a diner as he is craving for a retro-style of hamburgers and finger food. He sees the dinner bustling with patrons. He is rather adamant to see other people, despite it being peak dinner hours. But gladly, he finds an empty table at center aisle.
The diner has a mixed identity too for being both a family-friendly joint and a football fan-themed resto. But its lighting is slightly dim and the amber lights provide the ambiance.
The table has its own set of condiments and four menus. But a mini-jukebox stands out for his curiosity. He checks it out and flips from the songlist to see if his favorite songs are in there. As the diner noise becomes livelier, Lynn sees the song "Who Will You Run To" by Heart. At that moment, the doorbell rings, making him look at that direction, only to see a woman enter the restaurant. It is a false alarm.
The Loud family patriarch looks back at the jukebox to spot "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. However, his eyes lead on top of it, where the song "I've Gotta Be Me" by Tony Bennett is placed. He finds his two choices for a song.
Before he could select them, he sees a shady-looking guy walking inside the diner. But it is a false alarm, much to his relief.
At the drop of two pennies and final selection, Lynn Sr. plays the Journey song first, then the Tony Bennett song the second.
Right at that moment, Rita enters the diner, as expected for their simple father's day dinner celebration. She smiles to him, just as other patrons – ranging from couples to families – enjoy their time on a Father's Day evening.
Lynn Sr. prepares the menu for them. Just as she heads to the table, he greets her, "Hey!"
"Hey!" Rita greets him back sweetly.
The song occupies their nightly ambiance with its rousing lyrics.
Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
They are browsing the menu to see if there is anything valuable to feast on for a very special day. While Rita is resolute on giving the best dinner treat possible for her husband (before their ride back home where their children are preparing for an outrageous surprise), Lynn Sr. is settled on anything simple after a whole day managing his diner.
"What looks good tonight?" Rita wonders, reading the menu.
"I don't know," Lynn Sr. answers in a nonchalant manner. Though he asks, "Where's the Savvy?"
"He just called his on his way," Rita confirms about Lincoln's arrival, and also hints on Lori, "Lori's coming separately she had to go to the dentist." Lynn is alarmed at this, but Rita clarifies, "Another specialty dentist. Wisdom tooth."
Hearing that, Lynn shrugs his assumptions off. He goes back on looking at the menu.
Just a city boy
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
At that time, a waitress serves coffee to the shady-looking man.
Rita then brings up a concern to her husband, "You talk to Ruth again?" She gives a serious look to him, hoping nothing escalates from his business.
He assures, "It's Kotaro. He's going to testify. Investor fraud's not going to ruin anything."
However, Rita remains cautious.
A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on, and on, and on
Meanwhile, the entrance door opens at the ring of a bell. There comes a guy with worried face and a sinister jacket. But behind him is Lincoln.
Lynn Sr. witnesses his son walk to their table, then takes out another menu for him.
Lincoln is also welcomed by the aroma of the place as he sits down. "Hmmm onion rings."
Lynn Sr. adds positively, "Best in the state as far as I'm concerned." As he hands his son the menu, the Loud family father rattles his son's hand in adoration.
"Let's get a bundle then," Lincoln replies, much to his father's delight.
Little did they know that the worried-face figure is rather agitated as he positions himself at the stool on the salad bar.
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlights, people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Lori finally arrives at the vicinity with Vanzilla. She intends to park at a convenient gap between two cars. But parallel parking seems so tricky for her to handle with the numerous attempts to park.
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
The diner ambiance gets livelier. But that does not seem convincing for the worried-face guy, who keeps glancing at Lynn Sr. and his family looking at the menu.
Rita breaks the ice to Lincoln, "So Lincoln, how was school last week?"
"All I'm doing is reading over again and answering the same test all over," Lincoln stresses.
"You may not realize it but you are training your brain to memorize."
Lynn Sr. adds, "He's got SATs. So better loosen up." He remarks it with throwing a rolled-up straw wrapper to his shoulder. "Learning's fun."
After few seconds of contemplation, Lincoln agrees, though with a sardonic mood. "Right. Focus on the good times."
Lynn Sr. reacts, "Don't be sarcastic."
Lincoln replies, "Isn't that what you said one time? Try to remember the times that were good? Us in Lisa's makeshift observatory?"
"I did?"
"Yeah." The two are in disbelief when Lynn Sr. lets slip that he might be inconsistent with his words.
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on, and on, and on
So, he justifies, "Well, it's true, I guess. But here's what I believe in. You are the fulfiller of your own destiny. But it doesn't mean you should disregard what others tell you." He wins them over with that statement, even though they are not that much convinced.
"Glad you have this night to spend with us, dad," Lincoln replies.
Rita then smiles brightly to her husband, making him give a resolute smile in return.
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlights, people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Just as Lori tries to nail a parallel parking of the van, the worried-face man walks to the bathroom in hesitation. Lynn Sr. sees him leave his seat but returns to look at the menu.
As the Journey song moves to an ecstatic guitar riff before its closing chorus, two burly guys enter the restaurant and browses through the open-window glass chiller in search of a delicatessen meal to take out.
A waitress finally serves the Louds with a bowl of onion rings as appetizer. "I went ahead and ordered some for the table," Lynn Sr. says, despite the agreement that his family will treat him for Father's Day. Each of them grabs a piece on "Michigan's best onion rings" with casual taste.
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlights, people
Finally, Lori is able to parallel-park the Vanzilla across the street from the diner. She runs hastily to the vicinity on her heels.
But back inside, Lynn Loud Sr. prepares the mini-jukebox to skip the song and play the next one, Tony Bennett's "I've Gotta Be Me". But at the ring of the bell, his eyes glances back at the front entrance. In time, he sees his eldest child and one of his precious children enter the place.
Don't stop…
It ends.