Whatever Happened To . . .

Dwight Robertson of Lubbock Texas asks "Whatever happened to . . ."

Coin-Operated Restaurants?

Vending-machine cafes used to serve up baked beans and slices of apple pie, all for a nickel a throw.

The automat was at the cutting edge of technology at the turn of the century. Joseph Horn and Paul Hardart opened their first automat (from "automatic") in Philadelphia in 1902. At their peak in the 1940s and '50s, automats served 350,000 patrons daily. But fast-food chains eventually pushed them aside. The last Horn & Hardart automat closed in New York City in 1991.

But don't mourn the loss of an American icon just yet. Steve Stollman, a vintage-goods dealer in New York City, has high hopes for an automat revival. "Restaurant owners are coming to me to buy old automat machines," he says. "I know one of them is going to realize the automat would make a great theme restaurant."

You've read 3 of 3 free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Whatever Happened To . . .
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1998/0625/062598.home.home.3.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe
CSM logo

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us