The Automats were here back in 1912:
automat, n. | Gr. automatos, self-acting |
1. an apparatus for serving foods mechanically when a coin is dropped in a slot. 2. a restaurant having such apparatus in place
The pictures (above) is showing the original Horn & Hardart Automat in NYC.
A limited number of genuine Automat machines are salvaged and available for sale from the Automat Collection of Steve Stollman.
Please join Steve Stollman at Meet Me at the Automat event
Monday 07/02/2012, 1 P.M., 1557 Broadway in Times Square
Decorate your new Automat restaurant with unique and genuine Automat items. We have many original Automat units from Horn and Hardart Automat, some chairs, glasses, plates…etc. For more antiques please visit abeautifulbar.com
Press Release:
Who: Steve Stollman MeetMe@TheAutomat.com 212 431 0600
What: Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the first Horn and Hardart Automat in New York City
Where: In front of 1557 Broadway, the site of the first Automat
When: From 1 PM to 3 PM, Monday, July 2, 2012
On July 2nd, 1912, at 1557 Broadway in Times Square, the first of New York City’s remarkable chain of low-priced but high-quality restaurants opened. For nearly a century the 40 Horn and Hardart Automats scattered around NYC became some of the most well-known and well-loved elements of this place, extremely popular among tourists and residents alike. It is worth reflecting on its unique character and its influence on many aspects of our lives.
Steve Stollman, who for twenty years has been the only source and conservator of the last of these handsome and unique vending machines, that once were the primary symbol of this phenomenon, will provide information to those members of the press interested in giving the public a better picture of this New York City icon. He will provide copies of the book “The Automat” by Lorraine Diehl and Marianne Hardart, the best book available on this subject, to help them understand this issue better.
Some may wish to visit the recently-opened show at the New York Public Library on the history of lunch in NYC a few blocks away on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. The restored Automat fixtures on display there is strong evidence of the beauty and charm of these restaurants as well as the ability of some businesses and institutions to serve the real needs of the entire population, regardless of social station, with class and distinction. The library itself, as well as the Automat, is an excellent example of the important benefits that accrue to a society when its gifts can be made available to all rather than just a few.
Said the Technocrat, to the Plutocrat To the Autocrat, and the Democrat — “Let’s all go eat at the Automat!”
Articles:
Posted Monday, February 3, 2025 3:30 pm
Ben Popken

Bettmann // Getty Images
The hyper-competitive restaurant industry is constantly reinventing itself and using technology to stay sharp. From modern architecture and signage to innovations in serving and embracing the latest digital innovations, dining establishments are always on the hunt to find new ways to draw customers in through gastronomical, technological, and even logistical innovations.
Uniqode compiled industry reports and news articles to explore the most significant technological leaps and developments in the restaurant industry over the past century.
Some ideas have been widely adopted, such as “in-car” dining. Others, like a soda machine hooked up to an early version of the internet, “fizzled out” while still laying the groundwork for future successful developments. Others are just getting started, like artificial intelligence-enabled ordering systems.
Some of the latest innovations were in response to or were accelerated by the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have still stuck around. QR code menus and touch-screen ordering seem here to stay because the reduced overhead and increased order accuracy and efficiency are just too great. Still, polls show the power of human interaction, service, and atmosphere are important to guests. Mastering technology without fully automating the dining experience and maintaining the human touch is another kind of ongoing innovation the industry must address as it moves forward and embraces change. Bon appetit!
The automat previews the future of dining

HUM Images // Getty Images
When they launched in 1902, automats were considered the wave of the future. This restaurant innovation introduced the original “cheap eats”—and the efficiency, speed, and instant gratification now synonymous with parts of the American dining experience. At automats, food was kept in a bank of wall-mounted vending machines with glass doors, arranged by category. Customers located their item of choice, inserted coins to unlock it, and retrieved their dish. Behind the wall, cooks and waiters kept the shelves stocked. Though automats’ popularity in the U.S. peaked in the 1950s as they were displaced by fast food, they proved that diners were willing to serve themselves if given the right technology—early glimpses of trends seen decades later in electronic ordering, touching screens, and QR codes.
“New Method of Lunching,” cried out the advertisement to readers of the July 2, 1912, edition of The New York Times. “Try It! You’ll Like It!!” the ad promised.
By: Christopher Klein
Updated: August 23, 2018 | Original: July 13, 2012
Source: https://www.history.com/news/the-automat-birth-of-a-fast-food-nation
Revisiting the Era of Automatic Dining cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/revisiting-the-era-of-automatic-dining
Fresh from the press cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/stories-from-the-automat-machines-in-a-harlem-basement
Read the full story at nytimes.com/nyregion/new-yorkers-co-in-little-boxes-the-automat-lives-on.html
Remember the Automat theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/06/remember-automat
Vanishing New York vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/04/steve-stollmans-place.html
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/06/dayintech_0609
https://www.eater.com/2015/9/16/9334659/automat-eatsa-history-future
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_&_Hardart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat
Dictionaries:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Automat
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Automat