In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s New York City had more than three dozen Horn & Hardardt automats, Art-Deco restaurants with a great wall of gleaming vending machines where each food item was displayed in its own small, well-lit, windowed-compartment. Patrons selected their food, put a coin in the slot, twisted the knob, opened the door to the compartment, and removed their food.
