Art
Automats were self-service restaurants where customers bought food from vending slots—no waiters, no tips, no fuss. From the 1920s through the 1960s, they were where everyday Americans grabbed quick, affordable meals during work and shopping trips. This 1943 photograph captures three friends from Japanese American incarceration camps enjoying a rare afternoon of freedom in New York City.
Art · Full story
You push open the glass door and step into the gleaming cafeteria. The walls are lined with rows of small compartments, each holding a different dish behind shining brass and glass. You drop coins into the slot, turn the knob, and pull out your plate of hot food. Around you, strangers and friends alike move purposefully through the maze of choices—everyone their own cashier, their own server.
Reflect
What does a meal in a public place mean to you? When have you felt most welcome?