Automat
On July 7, 1912, the first Automat restaurant was opened in New York. The name "Automat" came from the word "automated". The concept of this restaurant was simple yet efficient. Food was placed in small coin operated machines. Any customer could buy the machine tokens and select whatever food that looked pleasing to them.
(An example of an Automat food dispenser)
The idea of ready-to-eat food appealed very much to the public. They could go in during a lunch break, select a meal, and eat it with no wait. Automat also allowed "take-out" food. This allowed customers to leave with their food in bags or disposable containers. Automats were popular from the start until well into the 1930's. They featured a very wide variety of foods such as pies, pastries, and drinks.
Although the name is a reference to automation, the actual process behind the automats required much labor. An employee would stand behind the automat and replace food after a customer selection.
Automat's popular slogan was "Less work for Mother".
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