Automat

An automat is a type of fast-food restaurant where food and drink are served through a vending machine, typically without waitstaff.

[8] The first automat in the United States was opened by food services company Horn & Hardart on June 12, 1902, at 818 Chestnut St.[2] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[11] A cashier sat in a change booth in the center of the restaurant, behind a wide marble counter with five to eight rounded depressions.

The diner would insert the required number of coins in a machine and then lift a window, hinged at the top, and remove the meal, which was usually wrapped in waxed paper.

Another contributing factor to their demise was inflation, which caused an increase in food prices and made the use of coins inconvenient in a time before bill acceptors were common on vending equipment.

The COVID-19 pandemic inspired a new wave of automat revival attempts, aimed to adapt to the social distancing guidelines and the desire for contactless dining.

Joe Scutellaro and Bob Baydale opened Automat Kitchen, which specialized in fresh food, in Jersey City's Newport Centre in early 2021;[17][18] however, it closed after one year of operation because of low foot traffic due to the pandemic.

The Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom announced plans in December 1945 to introduce an automat on buffet cars.