The Automat documentary showed how innovative Horn & Hardart was for its time. And how much I wanted one of those unique “turn” knobs.
Lisa Hurwitz’s wonderful documentary, The Automat, is an 80-minute dive into the history of Horn & Hardart’s groundbreaking automats. The story is told through historical footage, photographs and historians. Native New Yorkers Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould; Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg and General Colin Powell, along with former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode – all appear as fans, sharing cherished memories of the automats.
Philadelphia-born Joseph Horn and German-born, New Orleans-raised, Joseph Hardart partnered to open their first restaurant in Philadelphia in 1888. It featured New Orleans style coffee with chicory – which became an instant hit with Northerners.
There was nothing like the coffee at the Automat Its aroma and its flavor was supreme From a silver dolphin spout, the coffee came right out Not to mention at the end a little spurt of cream. ~ Mel Brooks
Automat, 977 Eighth Avenue by Berenice Abbott in 1936 as part of the Federal Art Project | NYPL Digital Collections, in the public domain in the US
Horn had traveled throughout Europe and discovered the Automat in Berlin – delivering high-quality, fresh food in a revolutionary style amidst beautiful ambiance. He persuaded Hardart to open the first automat in the US. It debuted on 12 june 1902 in Philadelphia at 818 Chestnut Street. In 1912, the first automat opened in New York’s Times Square followed shortly by the downtown restaurant on Broadway at 14th.
At its peak, H&H scaled up to more than 100 restaurants, along with its popular retail outlets. But with changing demographics and the rise of fast food chains, the automats lost market ground. Through the lack of succession planning from the early 1960s and a poor strategy forward, the last automat on Third Avenue at 42nd in NYC closed in 1991.
I’ve always been fascinated by the automat. While growing up in Philadelphia, I don’t remember visiting Horn & Hardart. My only experience eating in it was as a New Yorker in the 1980s, at the 42nd Street location. The food by that time was not great, and the ambiance showed nothing of the gorgeous art deco style that I had seen in photographs. The “insert coin, lift door, remove plate” action was still there, but gone was the elegant design – the heavy brass door frames, the silver dolphin spouts (a la Mel) and those gorgeous porcelain-and-bronze knobs – replaced by cheap chrome and plastic doodads.
The "turn" knob in all of its original glory, source unknown
In watching the documentary I also discovered that my perception of Horn & Hardart in its first 60 years was all wrong. I thought that the automats were considered on par with fast food restaurants where people quickly grabbed a bite and left. It turns out that they were destinations – special, affordable dining experiences for family and other gatherings – and places of community and acceptance for diverse populations when segregation was rampant. The philosophy of the company was progressive: a loyalty to, and a protection of its workforce, offering company outings, holiday parties and even monetary assistance to its employees when times were rough.
In researching this piece, I found volumes of the company records (please note, these are not definitively in the public domain, and copyright laws apply). Each entry is meticulously thought out from how to make the H&H proprietary coffee to how to portion out platters and clean them. Remarkable attention was paid to every detail.
In case you haven't noticed by now, I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary and researching the Horn & Hardart history. Oddly, finding useable images of all this wondrousness was not an easy task. Most have been acquired by libraries and private collectors with rights attached.
Here’s a brief selection of ephemera: some images are in the public domain, and some are undetermined. Tread lightly if using the later. Do your due diligence. Savor and enjoy!
Automat Stained Glass Facade | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart Interior | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart, East 14 Street, Revolving door installed 1 february 1935 | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart Retail Shop | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart Menu, 1914 | NYPL Digital Collections, in the public domain in the US Background image: Group at the Automat | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart Soup + Crackers | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Horn & Hardart Slice of Pie | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined
Automat Postcard, 1557 Broadway (note the dolphin dispensers on the lower half) | NYPL Digital Collections, copyright status undetermined in the US
What is your experience or favorite memory of the automat?
Top photo: Remembering Horn & Hardart, YouTube video frame capture. Mixed copyrights for images, please follow links for information if commercial use is desired. | Menu montage + animation: © 2023 Janet Giampietro.
