In 1902, Horn & Hardart opened the first automat in Philadelphia. The concept, which was a precursor to modern fast-food establishments, featured rows of coin-operated vending machines, which would dispense a variety of ready-to-eat hot and cold dishes, like cold-cut sandwiches, slabs of meatloaf and slices of pie. Through the years, the automat became both a symbol of frugality (in his 1912 short story, “The Automat,” writer O. Henry described them as "Mecca for the down-and-outs") and convenience.
Though the popularity of the Horn & Hardart automat gradually dwindled as Americans ceased to live in a nickel-and-dime economy, and the last location eventually closed its doors in 1991, for a moment in time, the automat represented the first step towards a glimmering future free of pointless, time-consuming human contact, ostensibly leaving its inhabitants open for bigger and better things.
