Horn
and Hardarts Automat

During the depression and the post war years, many New Yorkers
got their first taste of fast food and a "nickel cup of coffee"
from coin-operated glass machines at Horn and Hardarts
Automat.
The first Automat in New York opened in Times Square on July
2, 1912.Initially the Automat sold only buns, beans, fish cakes
and coffee, but as time went by it began serving lunch and dinner
entrees, including Salisbury steak with fluffy mashed potatoes
and beef stew. It developed into a self-service chain of restaurants
that flourished in this city for nearly a century.
Marking the centennial of Horn and Hardarts Automat,
the Museum of the City of New York has created a special exhibition
featuring photographs and artifacts including original furniture,
china, and vending machine panels.
"Horn and Hardarts Automat is an important part of the
history of this city," said Deborah Walters, deputy director
for collections and exhibitions at the museum. "It introduced
a form of waiterless dining that was very popular in the 20th
century."
During 1940s and 1950s, there were over 50 Horn and Hardarts
restaurants in the city, serving about 350,000 customers a day.
The chains popularity declined when other fast food restaurants
opened in 1970s. The last restaurant closed in April of 1991.
On November 23, the museum will offer a gallery talk with the
exhibitions curators Lorraine B. Diehl and Marianne Hardart,
who will examine the Automats impact on American eating
habits.
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