Automats were self-service restaurants where customers inserted coins into glass-fronted compartments to retrieve hot and cold dishes. Popular in major American cities from the 1920s through the 1960s, they offered fast, affordable meals to working people—including those facing discrimination elsewhere.
You push through the brass doors and face a glittering wall of small windows, each hiding a warm sandwich or slice of pie. Drop your nickel, turn the knob, and pull open the compartment. Your lunch is there, waiting, ready now.
Reflect
Where do you go today when you need a quick meal and a moment to yourself?