The Automat: History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece

I am delighted to hear that The Automat: History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece is being republished for a new generation of readers. The Automat was not just a restaurant; it was an American cultural institution that defined the way millions of people in New York and Philadelphia dined for more than a century. For anyone who has watched classic Hollywood films, you may recall scenes where hungry actors and struggling artists lingered around the Automat, sometimes making a makeshift “soup” out of ketchup, mustard, and other condiments. The Automat was more than a place to eat, it was a haven for those with empty pockets and big dreams.

The Automat by Lorraine Diehl and Marianne Hardart brings this world back to life through captivating archival photography, candid interviews, recipes of classic favorites, and rare memorabilia. Readers are transported to an era that saw Charles Lindbergh’s aviation triumphs, Babe Ruth’s legendary home runs, the Brooklyn Dodgers’ heyday, and the dazzling shows at Radio City Music Hall.

Founded in 1888 by Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart, Horn & Hardart’s Automat revolutionized the dining experience in America. It combined cutting-edge technology with mass accessibility, allowing customers to drop a few nickels into slots and open small glass doors to reveal their meal of choice, whether it was a steaming Chicken Pot Pie, creamy Macaroni and Cheese, a hearty Salisbury Steak, or a comforting slice of pie. This simple yet brilliant system captured the public’s imagination and democratized restaurant dining at a time when many groups, including immigrants, the working class, women, and people of color, were often excluded from traditional establishments.

Innovative Design

The Automat was also admired for its commitment to fairness and quality. Beyond serving delicious and affordable meals, Horn & Hardart treated employees with integrity and respect, making it a model for socially conscious business practices long before the term existed. In fact, the story of the Automat has inspired generations, and its impact is remembered through interviews with figures like Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Colin Powell, and Elliott Gould, who each recall their personal connections to this legendary place.

By the early twentieth century, the Automat had become a gleaming coin-operated wonder of glass and chrome. Its Art Deco architecture, its egalitarian approach to dining, and its reputation for serving the best cup of coffee in the city made it stand out in the rapidly modernizing world of the Industrial Revolution. At its peak, from the Great Depression through the postwar years, the Automat was far more than an affordable restaurant. It was a cultural symbol, a technical marvel, and a cherished gathering place for everyday Americans.

Horn & Hardart’s Automats dazzled with their coin-operated vending machines, where nickels opened brass-framed windows to reveal hot, freshly made meals. Coffee flowed from ornate dolphin-head spouts inspired by Italian cafés, while elegant interiors of marble tables, polished brass, and soaring ceilings gave even the most affordable meal a touch of glamour. Behind the scenes, kitchens ensured efficiency, cleanliness, and constant replenishment.

Cultural Legacy

The Automat pioneered self-service dining and set the stage for the fast-food era. More than just restaurants, they became social hubs in New York and Philadelphia, welcoming workers, artists, and dreamers. Though they declined by the 1960s, the Automat’s memory endures as a nostalgic American icon, celebrated in films, books, and the recollections of cultural figures like Mel Brooks, Howard Schultz, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The nostalgia tied to the Automat runs deep. Gregory Peck declared its scrambled eggs to be the best in the world. Neil Simon remembered the childhood thrill of buying his own food with nickels. Tony Curtis fondly recalled stopping in after shining shoes at age fourteen. Dick Clark survived on his chocolate milk during his early days in Philadelphia. Woody Allen praised its food as both “delicious and wonderful.” Leonard Nimoy made it his first stop in New York City, and Jerome Robbins cherished his ritual twenty-five-cent lunch of three vegetables, a roll, and cocoa.

The Automat was more than a dining concept; it was an experience that shaped American culture. It represented independence, affordability, and the simple joys of good food shared in a welcoming space. This republished edition of The Automat: History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece is more than a book; it is a tribute to one of America’s most cherished restaurant traditions, ensuring its memory continues to inspire and delight for generations to come.

The last traces of the Automat may no longer exist on bustling city streets, but they live on in memory and online. Today, Horn & Hardart coffee is still available in both ground and pod form, carrying with it the rich aroma that once filled the legendary dining halls of New York and Philadelphia. Each cup is more than coffee; it is a taste of nostalgia, a fragrant reminder of a dining era when nickels opened little glass doors to hot meals and sweet desserts.

Order a bag, brew a pot, and pair it with The Automat: History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece. With every sip, you are transported back to a time long gone, a time of Art Deco dining rooms, democratic meals, and the unmistakable charm of America’s first self-service restaurant phenomenon.

About the Authors

Marianne Hardart carries on the legacy of her family’s iconic contribution to American dining history. She is the great-granddaughter of Frank Hardart, the visionary cofounder of Horn & Hardart’s Automat. Her father, Augustin Hardart, represented the last of three generations to manage the beloved Automats that fed millions in New York and Philadelphia. Today, Marianne lives in New York City, where she works at NYU Medical Center. Still, she remains deeply connected to the history of the Automat and its impact on American culture. Her unique perspective brings authenticity and a personal touch to the story of this groundbreaking restaurant chain.

Lorraine B. Diehl is a celebrated New York journalist and cultural historian who has devoted much of her career to uncovering the hidden stories of the city. She writes features and the popular weekly “Secret City” column for the New York Daily News, and her work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, and American Heritage. Diehl is the acclaimed author of Subways: The Tracks That Built New York City and The Late, Great Pennsylvania Station, the latter of which is now in its third printing and remains a touchstone for those passionate about New York’s architectural heritage.

Together, Marianne Hardart and Lorraine Diehl merge personal legacy with journalistic insight, ensuring that The Automat: History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece serves as both a heartfelt family tribute and a richly detailed cultural history. Their combined voices make this book an essential resource for food historians, New York enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to rediscover one of America’s most iconic dining traditions.