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Orange Roofs, Golden Arches: The Architecture of American Chain Restaurants
Traces the history of the chain restaurant industry, looks at how their architecture has changed since the 1920s, and describes current trends in restaurant design
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 16, 2018
This book took me by surprise. I thought I would get some interesting anecdotes and fun factoids to drop while making small talk, but this went way beyond that. It does provide bits of trivia, but Langdon paints a sweeping canvas of American history using, of all things, fast food joints. He connects our past to the present, and shows how modern society has been shaped by the design of restaurants.
The American drive for increasing efficiency is echoed in the design of our eateries, from the early days of cross-country trains signaling dinner orders ahead to restaurants during the 1800s to the vending machine-like automats of the early 20th century to the innovations in fast food, like the drive thru window.
He shows how one designer influenced the architecture of restaurants across the country, which in turn changed how we decorate our homes. He talks about the winners and losers, the rise and fall of restaurant empires, the winning and losing of fortunes, and how all of that affected the country. It’s like the TV series Connections, except for burger places.
It’s really a full meal. Ha! This goes on my All-Time Favorite shelf because of that.
The American drive for increasing efficiency is echoed in the design of our eateries, from the early days of cross-country trains signaling dinner orders ahead to restaurants during the 1800s to the vending machine-like automats of the early 20th century to the innovations in fast food, like the drive thru window.
He shows how one designer influenced the architecture of restaurants across the country, which in turn changed how we decorate our homes. He talks about the winners and losers, the rise and fall of restaurant empires, the winning and losing of fortunes, and how all of that affected the country. It’s like the TV series Connections, except for burger places.
It’s really a full meal. Ha! This goes on my All-Time Favorite shelf because of that.
January 30, 2014
I continually use this to pull a Ted Mosby and annoy the crap out of my friends analyzing the retro architecture all over our college campus. The dining center really is evocative of googie coffee shop architecture, I promise!
(as for the date I read it... it was probably freshman year of college, the first time. I don't remember exactly when, so I guessed.)
(as for the date I read it... it was probably freshman year of college, the first time. I don't remember exactly when, so I guessed.)
November 26, 2016
Interesting read about the history of chain restaurants. In some cases, I learned something, in others, it was a trip down memory lane.
February 7, 2023
Very interesting!
March 13, 2022
This was a pretty interesting look at the evolution of restaurant architecture, focusing mainly on fast-food and what we now refer to as "casual dining" chains.
I learned some new terms from this book, for example, "Googie" - I had heard this term before but had no idea what it referred to. I only wish there had been more pictures, and would also love to see an update since the mid-1980s, when this was published. I feel, however, that many chains have become even more homogenized since then, although there has also been an interest in "retro" designs, as well.
I learned some new terms from this book, for example, "Googie" - I had heard this term before but had no idea what it referred to. I only wish there had been more pictures, and would also love to see an update since the mid-1980s, when this was published. I feel, however, that many chains have become even more homogenized since then, although there has also been an interest in "retro" designs, as well.
October 8, 2007
who ever thought that the mansard roof was an attractive option?
May 29, 2015
It may be great if you are an architectural student, but it's a little advanced for the casual reader. I was hoping for more pictures, too.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews