1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey there, history fans, we're taking the day off, but 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: don't worry. We've got plenty of classic shows to tide 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: you over. Please enjoy these flashback episodes from the TDI 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: HC Vault. Hello, and welcome to This Day in History Class, 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: a show that pays tribute to the parrots of the 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: past by telling their stories. Today, I'm Gabe Lucier, and 7 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: in this episode, we're talking about the time when an 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: ex president's pet parrot livened up his memorial service by 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: giving a rather obscene eulogy. The day was June tenth, 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: eighteen forty five. President Andrew Jackson's funeral was rudely interrupted 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: when his pet parrot began squawking profanities during the service. 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: It's possible the bird was upset by the large crowd, 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: or maybe he was just grieving more vocally than his 14 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: fellow mourners. In either case, the parrot's outburst was so 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: disruptive that he was eventually taken outside where he could 16 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: curse more freely. The bird in question was an African 17 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: gray parrot named Paul as in Pollywanna Cracker. It wasn't 18 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: the most inspired name for a parrot, but we'll talk 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: more about that a little later. Andrew Jackson had originally 20 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: bought Paul as a gift for his wife, Rachel. Unfortunately, 21 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: she died of a heart attack in December of eighteen 22 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: twenty eight, shortly after Jackson was elected president. He was 23 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,119 Speaker 1: so grief stricken that he reportedly had to be pulled 24 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: away from his wife so that the undertaker could prepare 25 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: the body for burial. It's no surprise, then, that Jackson 26 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: continued caring for the parrot after his wife's passing, and 27 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: since parrots can live to be fifty years or older, 28 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: that relationship lasted all the way up to Jackson's own 29 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: death seventeen years later. That's a long time to spend 30 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: together with a pet, and it gave Paul plenty of 31 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: opportunity to pick up some of the saltier language used 32 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: by one of history's most hot tempered presidents. Parrots, of course, 33 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: are notorious mimics, capable of memorizing and reproducing the sounds 34 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: they hear, whether it be a baby crying or a 35 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: president swearing. Paul eventually earned a reputation for cursing at 36 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: visitors who came to the White House. So while we 37 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: can't say for certain that he got his foul mouth 38 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: from his owner, it seems like a safe bet. After all, 39 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: Jackson was the guy who installed a dozen spittoons in 40 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: the White House, participated in more than a hundred armed duels, 41 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: and orchestrated the Indian removal process that forced tens of 42 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: thousands of Native Americans off their land. The fact that 43 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: he was a bad influence, even on a parrot, isn't 44 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: all that surprising. Still, for all his shortcomings and controversial policies, 45 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: Old Hickory was a celebrated military commander and the seventh 46 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: President of the United States. He had been out of 47 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: office eight years by the time of his death on 48 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: June eighth, eighteen forty five, but she never would have 49 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: known it from the size of the crowd at his funeral. 50 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: The service was held two days later at the Hermitage, 51 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: his family home in Tennessee. More than three thousand people 52 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: gathered to pay their respects, and among them was an 53 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: African gray parrot named Paul. It's unclear who decided the 54 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: pet parrot should be present in the crowded room, but 55 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: whoever it was, quickly regretted the decision. When Paul started loudly, chirping, squeaking, 56 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: and swearing. Reverend William Menefee presided over the funeral and 57 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: later described the scene that day, writing, quote, before the sermon, 58 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that 59 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so 60 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: loud and long as to disturb the people, and had 61 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: to be carried from the house. The reverend went on 62 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: to say that Paul had quote let loose perfect gusts 63 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: of cusswords, and that the mourners were horrified and odd 64 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: at the bird's lack of reverence. The biggest question in 65 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: all this is, of course, what exactly did the parrot say? Sadly, 66 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: Reverend men Ifie failed to transcribe the bird's tirade, though 67 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: I imagine it was something to the effect of and 68 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: you can keep your crackers too. Speaking of Polly wanna cracker, 69 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: let's talk about that old cliche. The name Paul has 70 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: acted as a generic name for a parrot since at 71 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: least the early sixteen hundreds. The earliest written record of 72 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: its usage is in a satirical play called Volpone written 73 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: by Ben Johnson in sixteen oh six. Many of the 74 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: play's characters are described as a animals that somehow reflect 75 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: their key character traits. For example, the title character Volpone 76 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: is likened to a fox due to his slyness and cunning. 77 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: Johnson also included two parrot like characters in the play, 78 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: Mister and Missus Politic would Be or Paul for short. 79 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: The English couple tries to curry favor in Venetian high 80 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: society by mimicking the words and actions of Volpone and 81 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: his crew. Johnson describes this as parrot like behavior, since 82 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: they're essentially repeating what they hear without knowing what any 83 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: of it means. No one knows for sure if Johnson 84 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: was the first to apply the term Paul to parrots, 85 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: but his play certainly helped popularize the name. Some British 86 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 1: bird owners later adapted Paul into the much cuter, friendlier Polly, 87 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: but both versions of the name eventually crossed over to 88 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: the United States and into stories about pirates, so the 89 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: name wasn't as played out in Jack since Day as 90 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: it is in our own, and even if it was 91 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: an unimaginative name for a parrot, it was still nothing 92 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: to swear about. Though Paul apparently disagreed. I'm Gabe Lucia 93 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: and hopefully you now know a little more about history 94 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: today than you did yesterday. If you enjoy today's episode, 95 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 1: why not follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You 96 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: can find us at TDI HC Show. You can also 97 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or you 98 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: can write to me directly at this Day at iHeartMedia 99 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: dot com. Special thanks to guest producers Joey pat and 100 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: Casey Pegro, and thanks to you for listening. I'll see 101 00:06:47,800 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: you back here again soon for another Day in History Class. 102 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 103 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: show that pours a fresh cup of history every day 104 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: of the week. I'm Gabe Bluesier, and in this episode, 105 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: we're looking at the story of the legendary Automad, a 106 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: mechanized approach to food service that made eating out both 107 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: more whimsical and more democratic. The day was June ninth, 108 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: nineteen oh two, America's first coin operated cafeteria opened in Philadelphia. 109 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: Known as the Automat short for Automatic, it was a 110 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:53,559 Speaker 1: completely waiterless restaurant where customers help themselves by selecting fresh 111 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: made meals from a wall of coin operated compartments. Instead 112 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: of placing an order, customer would simply drop a nickel 113 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: or two into a slot, turn a knob, and open 114 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: the little hinged window to retrieve the item of their choice. 115 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: This new modern approach to dining attracted a broad range 116 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: of customers thanks to its speed, consistency, and relative low cost. 117 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: Diners also appreciated being able to see the food before 118 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: they bought it, a clear advantage over ordering off a menu. 119 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: The concept proved so popular that over the next several decades, 120 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 1: owners Joe Horn and Frank Hardart went on to establish 121 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: a whole chain of automats nearly one hundred and fifty total, 122 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 1: But the one that started it all opened on this 123 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: day in nineteen o two at eight eighteen Chestnut Street 124 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Horn and Hardart became business partners in 125 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: eighteen eighty eight when they opened a quick service lunch 126 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: counter in downtown Philadelphia. It was the perfect spot for 127 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: white collar workers with short lunch breaks, and over the 128 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: next few years, Horn and Hardart opened several more just 129 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: like it. The duo's biggest claim to fame was their 130 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 1: fresh drip coffee, a rarity in the dark times when 131 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: boiled coffee was the standard. Things were going well for 132 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: Horn and hard Art, but by the turn of the 133 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: twentieth century they were looking for ways to further streamline 134 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: their quick lunch concept. Other industries of the era had 135 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: greatly improved their speed and efficiency through the use of 136 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: conveyor belts and other forms of automation. Horn and Hardart 137 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: wondered if similar methods could be applied to food service, 138 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: and their search for an answer ultimately led them to 139 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:44,959 Speaker 1: a company in Berlin called Qui Si Sauna. In eighteen 140 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: ninety five, Quisisana had opened the world's first automat on 141 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: the grounds of the Berlin Zoological Garden in Germany. The 142 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: original menu was limited to cold sandwiches, glasses of wine, 143 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: and coffee, but the American entrepreneur viewers were convinced the 144 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: technology could be used to sell much more than that. 145 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: They met with a sales representative for Quisisana, and in 146 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: nineteen oh one Hardart took a trip to Germany to 147 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: test the machines out for himself. Fully sold on the concept, 148 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: the duo worked out a deal to have some of 149 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: the machines sent over from Berlin. It took about two 150 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: years for the equipment to arrive in Philadelphia, but once 151 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: it did, Horn and Hardart made up for lost time 152 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: by opening their first Automat just a few months later. 153 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: The exact opening date is somewhat disputed, with most sources 154 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: saying it was on June ninth and others on June twelfth, 155 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: but something everyone agrees on is that the place was 156 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: in high demand. Curious customers flocked to the Automat on 157 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: opening day, with the restaurant taking in just under eight thousand, 158 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: seven hundred nicols. The Philadelphia Inquirer gave a glowing report 159 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: on the Automat's opening, writing that Horn and Hardart had 160 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 1: all of the city's quote rapid transit luncheon problem, making 161 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: it easier than ever to eat on the go. The 162 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: Automat's customers were impressed by the food, both the quality 163 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: and the variety, but it was the speed and low 164 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: prices that truly won them over, and it's easy to 165 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,359 Speaker 1: see why too. The place really was a bargain. Coffee 166 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: costs just a nickel, and a slice of pie cost 167 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: only two. More substantial items like a turkey and gravy 168 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: entree would set you back five nickels, so you could 169 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: easily eat a full three course meal for fifty cents 170 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: or less. There were plenty of options to choose from, too, 171 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: including comfort food favorites like macaroni and cheese, chicken pot pie, 172 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: and salisberry steak with mashed potatoes. The automat was open 173 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 1: for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with some dishes being swapped 174 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: out depending on the time of day. Dessert, however, was 175 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: always on offer, with some of the most popular choices 176 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: being ice cream, rice pudding, and an array of freshly 177 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: baked pies, everything from coconut cream and lemon meringue to 178 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: huckleberry and pumpkin. The climate controlled compartments made sure every 179 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: dish stayed just the right temperature, and new batches of 180 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: freshly brewed coffee were brought out every twenty minutes like clockwork. 181 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: Oh and if you're wondering how the coffee was dispensed, 182 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: that's maybe the best part. Instead of retrieving a full 183 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: cup from behind a little glass door, customers would drop 184 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: a nickel in a slot in the wall, turn a crank, 185 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 1: and watch with delight as piping hot coffee float out 186 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: of Italian crafted spouts shaped just like the head of 187 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: a dolphin. The presentation was top notch, but the coffee 188 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: was no slouch either. It was the same drip brewed 189 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: variety that Horn and Hardart had popularized at their lunch counters, 190 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: and it was such an improvement over the harsh boiled 191 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: coffee you'd find in other restaurants that it quickly became 192 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: the automat's number one cell. In fact, in the company's heyday, 193 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 1: it sold more than ninety million cups of coffee every year. 194 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: Who knew dolphins were such hard workers, Horn and hard 195 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: Art customers felt like they were in an automated wonderland, 196 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: where just about anything they could want to eat or 197 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: drink was just a few nickels and a knob turn away. However, 198 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: even though the restaurants appeared fully automated, behind the scenes, 199 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 1: there was a constant flurry of human activity on the 200 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: other side of the glass wall of compartments. A bustling 201 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 1: staff continuously refilled the slots after each purchase, and of course, 202 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: the food itself was also prepared by human hands. At first, 203 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: the cooks worked in a prep kitchen housed on site, 204 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 1: either in the back or in a basement, but as 205 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: the operation grew larger and more locations were added. Food 206 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: preparation was moved to a central commissary in midtown. Another 207 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: human fixture of the automat or the cashiers, affecttionately known 208 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: as nickel throwers. They worked from booths in the middle 209 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: of the restaurant, exchanging paper bills and larger coins for 210 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: those ever important nickels. The automat concept was such a 211 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: hit that Horn and Hardart opened a second Philadelphia location 212 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: in nineteen oh five, then a third in nineteen oh seven, 213 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: and a fourth in nineteen twelve. That same year, they 214 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: also branched out to New York City, opening an automat 215 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: in the heart of Times Square. It was a major 216 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: turning point for their business, as the Automat's faster dining 217 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: experience seemed tailor made for the city's growing class of 218 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: busy urban workers. The Times Square Automat quickly became a 219 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: lunchtime institution, drawing in so many customers that soon a 220 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: second New York location was needed, and then another and another. 221 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: Within ten years, Horn and Hardart had expanded to forty 222 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: locations in the Big Apple alone, including a flagship store 223 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: capable of feeding ten one thousand customers. A day. During 224 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: that time, the partners also invested in new and improved 225 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: equipment based on custom designs, as well as assembly line 226 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: kitchens that used standardized recipes, ensuring uniformity from one automat 227 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: to the next. As you might imagine based on all 228 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: that expansion, the automat's appeal wasn't restricted to workers on 229 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: lunch breaks. The restaurants were one of just a few 230 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: chains in the early twentieth century where unescorted women were 231 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: allowed to dine on their own. Horn and hard art automats, 232 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: or H and H's as they were sometimes called, were 233 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: also great places to take children. Picky kids appreciated the 234 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: visibility of the different foods available, and of course working 235 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: the machines was a treat in itself. Did I mention 236 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: the drink dispensers were shaped like dolphins. Despite the low prices, 237 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: automats weren't just for people on a budget either. The 238 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: novelty alone was enough to lure in upper class customers, 239 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: but they stuck around for the markedly high brow atmosphere. 240 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: In addition to the animal themed drink spouts, most automats 241 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: featured dining spaces with elaborate art deco details, high ceilings, 242 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: chrome paneling, stained glass windows, and wrought brass lighting fixtures. 243 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: Automats were affordable, but there was nothing bare bones about them, 244 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: and as a result, they attracted an incredibly diverse crowd, 245 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: from factory workers and secretaries to politicians and movie stars. 246 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: Gregory Peck said the scrambled eggs at the Automat were 247 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: the best he ever tasted, and Irving Berlin was such 248 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: a fan that he eventually wrote the Automat's unofficial theme song, 249 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: a little ditty called Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee. 250 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: In nineteen twenty four, a columnist for a New York 251 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: newspaper described the restaurant this way, The Automat is almost 252 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: as much of an institution along Broadway as Times Square. 253 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: No review or variety show is complete without its quip 254 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: about the famous nickel in the slot eating place. It 255 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: swirls with the froth of Broadway life, the peripatetic ads 256 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: of the one flight tailors, the raw rah boys, the 257 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 1: chorus girls, scrapping newsboys, leading men, visiting school teachers, gamblers, 258 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: ladies of the evening, and hard boiled gents. It is 259 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 1: one of the melting pots of Broadway, where all casts 260 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: rub elbows. The Automat's novelty and low prices were obvious 261 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: selling points, but that was the thing that really made 262 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: it a special place, the equalizing effect it had on 263 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: everyone who went there. During the Great Depression, the Automat 264 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: was a lifeline for people in dire straits. For many, 265 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: it was the only meal they could afford, and for 266 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: those who didn't even have a nickel, it was still 267 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: a warm place to get off your feet without fear 268 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: of being hurried out by the weight staff or a manager. 269 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,199 Speaker 1: There were free glasses of water at the Automat and 270 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: free ketchup two, and in the darkest days of the Depression, 271 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: some customers would mix the two together and drink what 272 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: they called a depression cocktail. But you know what, They 273 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: drank it while sitting in marble topped tables two seats 274 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: over from the city commissioner or a Broadway actress. The 275 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: Automat offered a truly democratic dining experience, and the day 276 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: to day lives of millions of people were better for it. 277 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: Against the odds, the restaurant with the most impersonal business 278 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 1: model somehow became one of the most welcoming places in 279 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: the city. A point of intersection for people from all 280 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: walks of life. By the early nineteen fifties, there were 281 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: more than one hundred and fifty horn and hard art 282 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: automats spread across Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore. That 283 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: made it the largest chain restaurant not just in the 284 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: country but the whole world. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and 285 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: after he hitting that high peak, the automat began its 286 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: slow decline. The first major sign of trouble came in 287 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty when H and H finally raised the prices 288 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: of its famous coffee from one nickel to two. Many 289 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: longtime customers felt it was a betrayal and started going elsewhere, 290 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: especially after the prices of all the other items also 291 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: began to rise. Without economy on its side, the automat 292 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: lost a large part of its charm. Meanwhile, other innovations 293 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: in food service were making the automat seem more antiquated 294 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: by the day. For example, fast food restaurants started adding 295 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: drive through windows to cater to America's growing car culture, 296 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: a convenience that the city bound automat just couldn't match. 297 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: Profits continued to slip throughout the nineteen sixties as consumer 298 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: tastes changed, and the price of ingredients rose higher and higher. Eventually, 299 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: the company had to make some tough choices, including the 300 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: decision to close its original store on Chestnut Street. On 301 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: December twenty eighth, nineteen sixty eight, America's first automat closed 302 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 1: its doors after sixty six years of serving the public. 303 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: By that time, the Automat machines at that location had 304 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: been shut down for over a year, serving as little 305 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: more than decoration for an otherwise normal cafe. Six months later, 306 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: the restaurant's historic interior, including much of the machinery, was 307 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: donated to the National Museum of American History. It's not 308 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: currently on view to the public, but it's still nice 309 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: to know it's there. The Horn and Hard Art Company 310 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: muddled on through the nineteen seventies, with more automats closing 311 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: every year. In nineteen eighty one, they filed for bankruptcy, 312 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 1: and many of the restaurant buildings were converted into McDonald's, 313 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: Burger King and a host of other fast food franchises. 314 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: A handful of automats remained open, alongside H and H's 315 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: bakery cafes, but by then it was only a matter 316 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: of time. In nineteen ninety, Philadelphia's last automat shut its doors, 317 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: marking the end of the company's almost ninety year run 318 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:14,199 Speaker 1: in the city. Then just one year later, the last 319 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: H and H Automat in New York City, and the 320 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: country served its last cup of coffee. Since that final 321 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: closure in nineteen ninety one, multiple attempts have been made 322 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: to resurrect automat style dining in the United States, but 323 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: so far none of them have worked. Over in Europe, however, 324 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: the dream of coinop dining is alive and well, at 325 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: least in some places. The Netherlands, for instance, is home 326 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: to a Dutch chain of walk up fast food restaurants 327 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: that still use the automat system. It's called Fabo, and 328 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 1: there are currently about sixty shops nationwide, with more than 329 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: twenty in Amsterdam alone. There are no vaulted ceilings, marble tabletops, 330 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 1: or dolphin cow spouts, but as a late night gathering 331 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: place for locals and tourists alike, Fabo is a bit 332 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: of a melting pot, just like the original automat, and 333 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: as long as people somewhere are still buying cheap, delicious 334 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: food from little glass boxes, the spirit of the H 335 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: and h Automat lives on. I'm Gabe Lucier and hopefully 336 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 1: you now know a little more or a lot more 337 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you enjoyed 338 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: today's episode, consider keeping up with us on Twitter, Facebook, 339 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: and Instagram, where you'll find us at TDI HC Show. 340 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,719 Speaker 1: You can also rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, 341 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: or you can get in touch directly by writing to 342 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays 343 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: and Ben Hackett for producing the show, and thanks to 344 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: you for listening. I'll see you back here again soon 345 00:22:55,600 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: for another day in History class.