The Last Automat

[OofusTwillip]

@jfilesbooks - What's priceless is that McDonald's has now brought in the Automat concept to its Japanese locations, by eliminating the counter staff. This is because McDonald's claims that it's a whole 5 seconds faster if people do their own order entry & payment at a machine---much as we can now do at movie theatres.

So the Automat concept isn't dead; it's just being hijacked by huge multi-billion-dollar corporations to increase their already obscene profits.

[drumpointer]

I remember the automat, especially the one near grand Central. I was born (1950) and grew up in NYC.

It was absolutely no big deal to go but it was fun, sort of. Memorable was the woman who dished out the change in a square booth (room for several changers in the booth with 4 sides) She just threw the money without counting it into the marble counter trays. Always correct. Favorite things to eat was the macaroni and cheese and the beans and franks. Coffee from the lion's mouth always fun.

[whoo689]

Sweet! I love self-service. I do everything I can to avoid having to deal with waiting on people and shit. I use the self-checkout at the store, ATMs for cash, order delivery food like pizza online, email a lot or call people on my cell, shop online, etc.

Sure, some may decry my habits for "being afraid to deal with people", but I'm a very independent person. I like doing this shit on my own and at my own pace. Thank God for the digital age.

[GourmetReviewer23]

actually, there are 15 automats in the U.S

[awaseniu]

BRING BACK THE HORN AND HARDART!!!

[MowgliX]

@awaseniu Yes, and bring it over here to Eurpe too! The automats disappeared in the late 1960s and very early 1970s. And what did we get in return? McDonald's, Burger King, KFC... Sticky, smelly, greasy, fatty, salty food with brown sugared water. YUK!

[Chick6517]

this was a really great video it was totally what i expected and i have to say that you met the standards of what i expected to see.

[howfakeareyou]

theyve brought this concept back..but it's nice to see some history..never saw those where i'm from.

[TeamUnicorn]

DONT CLICK HERE

[skovde111]

If you ever decide to consider the world, try FEBO fast food chain anywhere in the Netherlands. This type of outlet is very common and useful specially on a Saturday night.

[llamaeatsrobot]

BAMB on st. marks

[irontoad123]

There was one in the film

Dark City

it shows it a lot clearer than this vid

[elyseny]

Ah, chicken pot pie, franks and beans, I loved the automat.

[PolexiaAphrodisia]

the automat still exists, so wtf the last?

[scotpens]

If only ONE still exists, then it's the last one, right?

[codyfujii]

this video sucked

[ConArtist01]

Ok, that is preety cool, I wish I could jus get a fully cooked meal out of a vendeing machine in America!!

[randymanhugger]

I'm sorry but what did I miss about this clip? I kid that turned a knob or something and got desert??

[nicelogin2]

Back in the days, a very very long time ago, America's cafes used to sell meals(or sandwiches) with vending machines. And they looked just like the one in the video. Put in the coins, and you can get your meal thru a tiny window. Personally I have never seen one in real life.

[randymanhugger]

I appreciate the response nicelogin2... I wasn't aware of the history of these machines. good to know!

[eggnogdog]

There's something surreal about this.  Really cool. So is there a change slot, I couldn't really tell?

[greenherring2]

Yes. Each little cubby had a change slot. The price for the item was posted. If you needed change you could go to the cashier.The cashier was there for the cafeteria portion of the operation. You can get a better view from the interior photos I posted on bubbleshare a year ago under the neme greenherring

[reeeererr]

dddfffffffffffffffffffff

[abcdharam]

ddddddddddddddddddddmmmmmmmmmm­mmm

[greenherring2]

For those who might be interested, I posted some photos of the inside of the Automat on Bubbleshare a year ago. It gives you a better idea of what the place looked like. I think I titled it as The Last Horn&Hardart Automat. On Bubbleshare I am simply greenherring.

[MrMirthiness]

Interesting. These products do not appear prepackaged, like a vending machine. So there must be preparation staff constantly refilling cold/hot chambers with fresh food. This system removes wait staff and cashiers. No one to yell at!

[7522IF]

wait staff and cashiers deserve a special place in heaven for having to deal with the likes of you

[Annamazing1]

Well, that brings back memories.....Not sure why it was such a big deal to go to the automat....but it sure was! Everything just looked so good behind the glass and it was neat, expecially as a little kid, to be able to pick out your own food. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

[7522IF]

i never enjoyed the food out of one these things

[Ktjane31381]

Can't believe this is such a novelty. Is it really that fascinating?

[greenherring2]

Ask anyone who went there as a kid. Ask a former starving writer or artist who barely scraped up enough change to eat there. I used to know one who dumped endless free crackers into his soup.

[Pennee101]

It is fascinating for someone like me who only went to a few of them as a kid when we'd go into New York. I thought they were fun...and they were.

[effects69]

this is a feature why?

[hdewijze]

These automat's are still used in North-West Europe.

[greenherring2]

That might explain it. My father must have been familiar with them from business travel in NW Europe. When we immigrated from Germany in 1955, he marched us to an Automate to eat our first meal here in New York

[7522IF]

so fake

[Actionguy1]

NOT FAKE, my friend! Those were the "good ole' days!

Heck of a lot better than what you kids nowadays have in a train station or airport!

Believe me, it was VERY real!

[bralen24]

Its strange how some people can bitch about anything.... even this video. Its just some kid getting a bite to eat.

[BeechSundowner]

Good video!

[snakesinmypants]

lol, when i got the munchies i used to crack open the door just enough to slide a big fat Mickey D straw thur and suck out the blueberry cream or jelly filling from pies and then refilled them with my spit... yum yum.

[fraud66]

Thanks for the tip!!!! :-P

[scotpens]

I THOUGHT they tasted funny!

[CaliTapia]

is this thing still around??

[Chupacabra777]

Exploitation? It's a restaurant dummy... it's a glorified cafeteria without having to stare down a worker... since when has the diner-food service worker ever been about the "people" or human interaction... it's generally demeaning. There's something more like Christmas or an easter egg hunt with the wall of food... and honestly I remember going in the Empire State building back in the 70s... the food was better than any fast food joint. I'd love to see someone remake these.

[newyorkernut3]

Having gone to NYC Automats since the 1940's itwas a good and grateful steady job to work for The H. & H. Company.How many people

do any of us see preparing meals in any restaurant.Workers then did not feel exploited in those days.One working there also were given a discount on the food for their own use.

Food for 5 cents for anybody black,white or

purple in ancestry was really fair.

What's wrong with nostalgia for one who

actually lived there and then?

You trying to censor good memories?

[billius]

Talk about exploitation and alienation (there were people on the other side loading them, who never got to meet their customers). And now it's called nostalgia!!

[dunkalunk]

Gershwin's someone to watch over me in the background, nice!

[chefshout]

You just got linked from boingboing.

Cute vid, tx!

[seat850c]

YOur grandpa's voice sounds just like Alan Arkin's!

[TavieP]

LOL, I never noticed that before!

[beangenie]

there's a place in ottawa called The Speedomatic -- does anyone know if that was ever also an automat??

[astanhope]

When appx. was this filmed?

I was born in 1970 and never saw an automat but my father used to talk about how much he loved them in the 1950s.

Judging from haircuts and video quality, I'm going to guess that this was taken around 1983. Is it possible?

[greenherring2]

This would have been 1986 or 1987

[baskoner]

They had one just like this at a hospital I visited around 1988. Now they have freestanding vending machines that do the exact same thing in just about every prison visiting room.

[TavieP]

I used to LOVE THAT PLACE.

[mi6QBranch]

I know, it's called Bamn and I eat there all the time. It's pretty good food but a far cry for Horn & Hardart's.

[greenherring2]

I miss it too. There is a kind of revival of the automat on St Marks Place but it is standing only and open to the sidewalk

[mi6QBranch]

I miss the 42nd Street Automat.

Somebody needs to revive Horn & Hardart's.