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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Cafeteria: A cafeteria is a type of restaurant in which there is no table service. Instead, there are food serving counters/stalls, either in a line or allowing arbitrary walking paths, and customers take food they require as they walk along, placing them on a tray, and pay at the check-out (buffet system). Fo...

Restaurant: A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to be consumed on the premises. The term covers a multiplicity of venues and a diversity of styles of cuisine....

Coffee: Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. Due to its popularity, coffee is, in monetary terms, the second largest traded commodity in the world (after oil). It is one of mankind's chief sources of the stimulant caffeine. Because of this, c...

Automat related Images and Photos (experimental)

Automat