# I embody the history of the Automat! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 18, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547 "2012-06-18T18:11:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![allyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@allyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allyn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/21 "2012-06-19T17:59:25Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Does anyone have a recipe for this? Might be of interest: > **[Finding Horn and Hardart Recipes](http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/mphandh.htm)** > > Finding Horn and Hardart Recipes ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/22 "2012-06-19T18:32:59Z")
I never got to have the Automat experience in person, but I did dream about going to one once, as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/23 "2012-06-19T18:35:40Z")
I ate the Automat in NYC mentioned in the OP (near the Chrysler Building) on a class trip around 1988/89, shortly before it closed. I remember the Art Deco and the wall of “vending machines” along the back that you had to put tokens in to get food out. I can’t remember what I ate, I think it was a cheeseburger & fries, but I remember thinking the food looked gross and whatever I ate was gross. I was also 15 or 16 years old. But I was so thankful for the experience because my Dad had told me about them and said they were becoming a thing of the past. I think he was jealous. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/24 "2012-06-19T22:47:26Z")
When I was a little kid, we lived in suburban Jersey. My dad would occasionally have business in the city, and would sometimes take me along. The highlight of the trip for me was always lunch at Horn & Hardart’s. I understand they are now all gone. Makes me sad. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/25 "2012-06-24T08:47:00Z")
Just out of curiosity, was the food any good? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/26 "2012-06-24T16:46:06Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Just out of curiosity, was the food any good? Actually, not bad at all (at least at H&H). Not a lot of variety, but mac & cheese, franks & beans, sandwiches, quite good pies, etc. Also, lots of hot coffee (not that I cared at that time, but the grown-ups drank it by the gallon). ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/27 "2012-06-24T17:32:10Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Actually, not bad at all (at least at H&H). Not a lot of variety, but mac & cheese, franks & beans, sandwiches, quite good pies, etc. Omigosh, the franks and beans were _great_, I had forgotten all about those! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/28 "2012-06-24T19:12:54Z")
> [@allyn](#): > > Might be of interest: > > [Finding Horn and Hardart Recipes](http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/mphandh.htm) Uncle Phaedrus? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/29 "2012-06-24T21:08:05Z")
Another reason I wish I had lived in another era. Going to H&H was something I’ve always wanted to do since seeing _ **That Touch of Mink** _ when I was in college. [http://youtu.be/nTqjO-dHTmE](http://youtu.be/nTqjO-dHTmE) UT ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/30 "2012-06-24T21:39:46Z")
> [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > Another reason I wish I had lived in another era. Going to H&H was something I’ve always wanted to do since seeing _ **That Touch of Mink** _ when I was in college. > > [http://youtu.be/nTqjO-dHTmE](http://youtu.be/nTqjO-dHTmE) > > UT Mel Cooley is a total sleazeball, but Alice Kramden \*does \*deserve to get her ass fired. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/31 "2012-06-24T21:55:17Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Mel Cooley is a total sleazeball, but Alice Kramden \*does \*deserve to get her ass fired. lol - gotta agree, but for me, John Astin stole this entire movie…hook line and sinker. UT ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/32 "2012-06-24T21:56:22Z")
There was one in Dublin about maybe 5-10 years ago for about six months, ate at it a couple of times, it was all right like. It was part of a Dutch chain that’s still extant: [FEBO - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FEBO) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547/33 "2012-06-24T22:15:10Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Uncle Phaedrus? :eek: Great site to wander through browsing old recipes. > [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > lol - gotta agree, but for me, John Astin stole this entire movie…hook line and sinker. > > UT LOL yup. The poor schmuck really shouldn’t hit on women that come into his office. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-embody-the-history-of-the-automat/625547.md?page=1)