Automat
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2008-06-16T16:29:33Z
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{{for2|the Edward Hopper painting|[[Automat (painting)]]}}
{{for2|the Musumarra and Gizzi album|[[Automat (album)]]}}
[[Image:Automat.jpg|thumb|right|Drawing of automat on 1904 postcard]]
[[Image:Bamn Automat.png|thumb|A modern automat in [[Manhattan]]'s [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]]]]
An '''Automat''' is a fast food [[restaurant]] where simple foods and drink are served by coin-operated and bill-operated [[vending machines]]. Originally, the machines took only nickels but modern automat vending machines accept bills. In the original format, a cashier would sit in a change booth in the center of the restaurant, behind a wide marble counter with five to eight rounded depressions in it. She would serve many customers at once, taking their money from the depressions and dropping nickels in its place. The diner would insert the required number of coins and then slide open a window to remove the meal, which was generally wrapped in waxed paper. The machines were filled from the kitchen behind. They are still very common in [[The Netherlands]], but outside of there, few exist. The [[Horn & Hardart|last one]] closed in the United States in 1991. However in 2006, an automat, [http://www.bamnfood.com/ BAMN], opened in [[New York City]]'s [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]].<ref> {{cite news | last = Matthews | first = Karen | title = Updated Automat to open in New York City | publisher = Associated Press | date = 2006-08-28 | url = http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2006/08/28/updated_automat_to_open_in_new_york_city/
| accessdate = 2006-08-28 }}</ref>
Unlike modern [[vending machines]], food was served on real [[dishes]] with metal utensils, and drinks in glasses.
Inspired by the Quisiana Automat in [[Berlin]], the first automat in the U.S. was opened [[June 12]], [[1902]] at 818 Chestnut St. in [[Philadelphia]] by [[Horn & Hardart]].<ref>"[http://www.14to42.net/36street2.html Horn & Hardart Automat, 968 6th Ave. between 35th & 36th Sts. (1986)]", 36th Street, [http://www.14to42.net/ New York City Signs -- 14th to 42nd Street].</ref> The automat was brought to [[New York City]] in 1912 and gradually became part of [[popular culture]] in northern industrial cities. Horn & Hardart was the most prominent automat chain.
The format was threatened by the growth of [[suburb]]s and the rise of [[fast food]] restaurants catering to cars (with their drive-thru windows) in the 1950s; by the 1970s their remaining appeal was strictly [[nostalgia|nostalgic]]. Another contributing factor to their demise was undoubtedly the inflation of the 1960s and 70s, making the food too expensive to be bought conveniently with coins, in a time before bill acceptors commonly appeared on vending equipment.
Another form of the Automat was used on some [[passenger train]]s, the last [[United States]] example being an Automat car on Amtrak's short-lived service to [[Janesville, Wisconsin]] in 2001. These were limited by mechanical problems, since the machines weren't necessarily intended for the bumpy ride on the rails, and state laws that prohibited [[alcoholic beverages]] from being sold by a machine.
The automat food format is still popular in some other countries. For example, [[FEBO]] stores in [[The Netherlands]], where the automat is called ''[[Vending_machine#Automatiek|Automatiek]]'', provide a variety of [[Hamburger|burger]]s, sandwiches, and [[Croquette|kroket]]s in vending machines that are back-loaded from a kitchen.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Types of restaurants]]
[[Category:Vending]]
[[Category:German loanwords]]
[[nl:Automatiek]]
[[ja:オートレストラン]]