An automat is a type of fast-food restaurant where food and drink are served through a vending machine, typically without waitstaff. The world's first automat, Quisisana, opened in Berlin, Germany …

This was the Automat, and it was feeding millions of Americans every single day over a century ago. So why did something so revolutionary, so wildly popular, simply disappear?

May 6, 2020 · The Automat may have faded, but fast food lives on. Learn about the surprising history of fast food restaurant founders and then, check out these vintage menus from the heyday of the automat.

New York City’s first Automat, operated by the Harcombe Restaurant Co., opened soon after the Philadelphia location at 830 Broadway. Here, diners could enjoy upscale fare—like lobster a la …

Jul 13, 2012 · Joe Horn and Frank Hardart’s Automat was a marvel of efficiency that revolutionized the American food service industry.

Jul 28, 2021 · An automat and a vending machine may seem similar, but they have distinct differences. An automat is a type of restaurant where customers can select a variety of meals from behind glass …

Jan 31, 2021 · Named Quisisana—after a company that also manufactured food-vending machinery—this high-tech eatery established itself in other northern European cities, and Quisisana …

But before fast-food chains dominated the landscape, there was the automat—a futuristic, self-service restaurant that combined convenience with affordability. Automats were the first major attempt at …

Jul 20, 2025 · The Automat was one of the wonders of New York. When Joe Horn and Frank Hardart opened their magnificent flagship on July 2, 1912-a a two-story facade of stained glass, marble …

The meaning of AUTOMAT is —used for a cafeteria in which food is obtained especially from vending machines.