At least in the US (and probably elsewhere), late-night diners are a popular place to get a cheap cup of joe. In my experience, diner coffee has a taste that's generally not found elsewhere (most people call it "bad", but that's not what this question is about).
I'm wondering what causes this taste, and how they all get such similar tasting coffee? I assume the brewing process has something to do with it (those big commercial drip brewers which they all seem to use), but I've been to other places that used those with various different roasts and they all tasted different.
So what else makes diner coffee taste like diner coffee? Examples of the kinds of places that serve this include chains like Waffle House, but also individual / locally owned diners.