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The Automat: The History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart's Masterpiece
On the 100th birthday of Horn & Hardart, a look back at one of America’s most beloved institutions
A coin-operated glass-and-chrome wonder, Horn & Hardart’s Automats revolutionized the way Americans ate when they opened up in Philadelphia and New York in the early twentieth century. In a country where the industrial revolution had just taken hold, eating at a restaurant with self-serving vending machines rather than waitresses and Art Deco architecture instead of stuffy dining rooms was an unforgettable experience. The Automat served freshly made food for the price of a few coins, and no one made a better cup of coffee. By the peak of its popularity—from the Great Depression to the post-war years—the Automat was more than an inexpensive place to buy a good meal; it was a culinary treasure, a technical marvel, and an emblem of the times.
The Automat will take readers back to the days of Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth, Walter Winchell and Jack Benny, the Brooklyn Dodgers and shows at Radio City. Through beautiful archival photography, candid interviews, delicious recipes, and wonderfully evocative memorabilia, Lorraine Diehl and Marianne Hardart bring to life a time when a handful of nickels and the twist of a wrist bought a good square meal—Macaroni and Cheese, Boston Baked Beans, Chicken Pot Pie, Rice Pudding, and all the other favorites whose recipes are in these pages.
The Automat was a true American treasure, and here is its tribute.
A coin-operated glass-and-chrome wonder, Horn & Hardart’s Automats revolutionized the way Americans ate when they opened up in Philadelphia and New York in the early twentieth century. In a country where the industrial revolution had just taken hold, eating at a restaurant with self-serving vending machines rather than waitresses and Art Deco architecture instead of stuffy dining rooms was an unforgettable experience. The Automat served freshly made food for the price of a few coins, and no one made a better cup of coffee. By the peak of its popularity—from the Great Depression to the post-war years—the Automat was more than an inexpensive place to buy a good meal; it was a culinary treasure, a technical marvel, and an emblem of the times.
The Automat will take readers back to the days of Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth, Walter Winchell and Jack Benny, the Brooklyn Dodgers and shows at Radio City. Through beautiful archival photography, candid interviews, delicious recipes, and wonderfully evocative memorabilia, Lorraine Diehl and Marianne Hardart bring to life a time when a handful of nickels and the twist of a wrist bought a good square meal—Macaroni and Cheese, Boston Baked Beans, Chicken Pot Pie, Rice Pudding, and all the other favorites whose recipes are in these pages.
The Automat was a true American treasure, and here is its tribute.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 1, 2019
I've always had this unusual fascination with automats. Maybe it's because as a child hospitals had vending machines that were like a pale imitation of automats and because my sister was sick a lot I would be in the hospital and would love putting money into the machine and sliding open the door to get a sandwich or an apple. Since then I've always been fascinated by automats and this book gave me all the history I could ever want on the company that brought automats into existence and the history behind their downfall. Full of anecdotes, quotes from famous celebrities of a bygone era, and even recipes for food that was served in automats, The Automat was a fascinating look into the history of a former American institution.
August 22, 2014
Have you ever heard of the Automat? With its nickel throwers and coin-operated food windows and delicious recipes that were tasted by the brass every morning for quality. No? Well, it's about time you did.
The Automat was a really cool chain of restaurants in Philly and New York that prettied up "fast food" in their own special way. Even as it catered to those who could barely rub two nickels together (and if they had two nickels to rub they could go to the Automat for a hot, filling meal), it was also "the place to be" for many famous faces and business icons, and hosted a scene or two in at least a dozen movies.
After reading The Automat: The History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn and Hardart's Masterpiece by Lorraine B. Diehl & Marianne Hardart (yes, of those Hardarts), I went from being simply intrigued by this part-vending-machine-part-cafeteria-part-marvel-of-a-restaurant-chain to being quite fascinated - some would even say a bit smitten. But this book doesn't simply tell the story of the Automat - it offers a slice of history from a unique point of view, and gives yummy, top-quality Automat recipes. Don't just read the history, taste it too!
The Automat was a magical place that, unfortunately, now exists only in the memories of workers and patrons. It's a sad ending, but worth the read.
The Automat was a really cool chain of restaurants in Philly and New York that prettied up "fast food" in their own special way. Even as it catered to those who could barely rub two nickels together (and if they had two nickels to rub they could go to the Automat for a hot, filling meal), it was also "the place to be" for many famous faces and business icons, and hosted a scene or two in at least a dozen movies.
After reading The Automat: The History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn and Hardart's Masterpiece by Lorraine B. Diehl & Marianne Hardart (yes, of those Hardarts), I went from being simply intrigued by this part-vending-machine-part-cafeteria-part-marvel-of-a-restaurant-chain to being quite fascinated - some would even say a bit smitten. But this book doesn't simply tell the story of the Automat - it offers a slice of history from a unique point of view, and gives yummy, top-quality Automat recipes. Don't just read the history, taste it too!
The Automat was a magical place that, unfortunately, now exists only in the memories of workers and patrons. It's a sad ending, but worth the read.
August 1, 2022
Fascinating history of Horn & Hardart automats (including several recipes). While I've never eaten at one, I recall seeing a few (from the outside) as a kid, and certainly saw many characters in old movies eating in them. Starting in 1902 in Philadelphia, and in business during WI, the depression, and WWII, Horn & Hardart offered people a multitude of dishes (soup, piece of meat, chicken or fish, veggies/sides, desserts, and coffee) all for a nickel a piece.
November 28, 2025
After watching the documentary The Automat (with Mel Brooks and cameos by others), I had to get this book. It isn't easy to find, but fortunately, my excellent local library obtained it via an Interlibrary Loan, and it was worth it.
While the documentary covered about half of what was in the book, the text expanded on some of the inner workings of the operation, including staff duties (at one point, 100 women were employed solely to crack eggs) and back-room procedures. It also included many recipes of featured foods, including mashed turnips, rice pudding, chicken pot pie, and their famous baked beans.
For a fun look back at a restaurant chain that continues to fascinate Americans, get this book. For another nostalgic look back, try Karen Plunkett-Powell's "Remembering Woolworth's," and "The Gallery of Regrettable Food" by James Lileks is a hoot.
While the documentary covered about half of what was in the book, the text expanded on some of the inner workings of the operation, including staff duties (at one point, 100 women were employed solely to crack eggs) and back-room procedures. It also included many recipes of featured foods, including mashed turnips, rice pudding, chicken pot pie, and their famous baked beans.
For a fun look back at a restaurant chain that continues to fascinate Americans, get this book. For another nostalgic look back, try Karen Plunkett-Powell's "Remembering Woolworth's," and "The Gallery of Regrettable Food" by James Lileks is a hoot.
December 12, 2025
I grew up with Horn & Hardart's restaurants, cafeterias, and retail shops in Philadelphia. Their food was a great favorite with our family, though we were not really big Automat-goers.
I had high expectations for this book, and I was a little disappointed. I was expecting a more impressive, larger format design and hoping for more recipes.
The brand is trying revive to by selling its famous coffee blend, nostalgic mugs and tins, along with this book. They should really start selling the food again, at least starting with the baked goods in cafés. There are plenty of people in Philly and New York, along with those spread out throughout the country with roots in those cities who would be interested.
I had high expectations for this book, and I was a little disappointed. I was expecting a more impressive, larger format design and hoping for more recipes.
The brand is trying revive to by selling its famous coffee blend, nostalgic mugs and tins, along with this book. They should really start selling the food again, at least starting with the baked goods in cafés. There are plenty of people in Philly and New York, along with those spread out throughout the country with roots in those cities who would be interested.
February 25, 2018
I started out really liking this book but by the time I got done I realized it was like an article in 'People,' when what the subject really needed needed was a 'Vanity Fair' feature.
June 11, 2020
Is post Covid the time for return of the automat? Enjoyed this book.
September 27, 2020
A great bit of history surrounding the Horn and Hardart restaurants. Loved that it includes recipes
December 2, 2022
I wish I could have eaten at an automat. Bring them back!
September 8, 2007
Living in a past I've never known, I began stalking Automats when a former Horn & Hardart location came up for landmarks approval. Now a Rite Aid, it is supposedly one of the most intact locations. Sold to Burger King, this chain might again be welcomed in cities like New York. The book is a disorganized scrapbook of recipes, family photos and anecdotes about the H & H glory days written by a descendant. It helps peel back a layer of NY when you can find old ones (like J&R Music World at City Hall) but is otherwise useless to anyone of our generation.
March 30, 2012
This isn't a very good book, sadly, which is probably why it's out of print. It's a teeny coffee table book with bad font choices & not nearly enough photos for my taste. It's written by a relative of one of the founders so it has a tone of nostalgia and is a little thin on interesting details. Still, I do know a little more than I did before about the iconic food-dispensing system and its company's tragic end as a franchiser of city Burger Kings.
January 29, 2014
It's hard to rate a book like this because I think it's pretty much a one of a kind. Before I accidently picked it up, I had never heard of an automat before. I enjoyed the look back in history, learning all about automats and the great pictures. This book is about the "Horn and Hardart's" Automats. Were there ever other automats in America? They never bothered to mention either way and I am really curious. I think that is a very obvious question that the book failed to answer.
July 5, 2012
This was such a good book. I'm fascinated by history and thought the age of the automat was just fascinating, as was that time in NYC. I remember seeing a Doris Day movie with an automat, and it's mentioned in FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS BASIL E. FRANKWEILER also. This book is a wonderful glimpse at an icon that has sadly gone. Wish they still had these.
June 3, 2012
I've always had a vivid memory of having as a child eaten in one of New York City's famous Automats–probably while passing through with my parents on the way to somewhere else.
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September 24, 2010
A look back to a bygone era.
November 25, 2011
A solid coffee-table book about the semi-automated restaurant that was hugely popular in the middle part of the 20th century. Basically, I read it for the pictures.
December 5, 2015
Charming book with great illustrations, and some recipes that I actually want to try out.
March 14, 2007
Yay! A book about Automats! Bring them back!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews