Automat

An automat was a form of a cafeteria-style restaurant in which simple foods, usually coffee, sandwiches, and other fare such as macaroni and cheese, were served to the clientele by means of coin-operated vending machines. The diner inserted the required number of coins and then slid open a window to remove the meal, which was generally wrapped in waxed paper. The food preparers inserted the product into the back of the machines, which also functioned as a wall between the kitchen and the lobby, which typically had a tile floor.

Related Topics:
Cafeteria - Restaurant - Coffee - Sandwiches - Macaroni and cheese - Vending machines

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The automat was developed in the early 1900s, and the first American automat opened in 1902. The automat was brought to New York City in 1912 and gradually became a fixture of popular culture. The most prominent operator of this format was Horn & Hardart. In the United States, this format apparently never spread beyond major northern industrial cities and hence a "trip to the automat" became a virtual necessity for visits "up North" by travellers from southern and rural areas.

Related Topics:
1900s - American - 1902 - New York City - 1912 - Popular culture - Horn & Hardart - Southern - Rural

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The format was threatened by postwar suburban flight and the rise of fast food establishments in the 1950s; by the 1970s their remaining appeal was strictly nostalgic. The last U.S. automat closed in 1991.

Related Topics:
Postwar - Suburb - Fast food - 1950s - 1970s - Nostalgic - 1991

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The automat food format is still popular in some other countries. For example, FEBO stores in The Netherlands still provide a variety of freshly-made burgers, sandwiches, and krokets in vending machines that are back-loaded from a kitchen.

Related Topics:
FEBO - The Netherlands - Burger - Kroket

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