Leave it to the Japanese to create (or, in this, case) revitalize a trend. For people of a certain age, the automat induces keen nostalgia. Begun in the 20s, during the depression, and peeking in the 50s, it was a precursor to fast-food chains—but with more heart and soul.
Begun by a Philly company called Horn and Hardart, automats gained popularity in New York City, where the busiest folks wanted quick, but comforting lunches for not a lot of money. They featured little glass windows with prepared foods, and coin slots (like a vending machine but serving real food—notably mac & cheese, creamed spinach, and pie available for a quarter). Many were housed inside deco-styled booths, and had cafeteria-like seating areas where you could gobble down your purchase, or linger over it for hours.
But with the rise of fast-food chains, automats disappeared—until recently (though some still operate in the Netherlands). Back to the Japanese: two entrepreneurs have opened a retro-hip version in New York's trendy east village called Bamn!, where the automat spits out hot comfort food, but with an Asian twist (deep fried mac & cheese, mini burgers, pork buns, spam-topped sushi—all for about $2.) It's particularly popular with late-night partiers (an alternative to a slice of pizza on a drunken walk home). Their success is rumored to lead to more openings in other cities (considering the widespread success of Chinese bubble tea Establishments, I believe it).
Would an automat renaissance thrive, or are we already too saturated with quickie eating establishments? If savvy companies like Bamn! can continue to think up interesting twists on fast-food, or maybe even make offer healthier or more homemade choices, it seems like its shelf life could be a long one.
Come across any new automats in your travels? Remember one from the past? Send along your comments at this blog post.
