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Posted by hipstomp | 27 Aug 2008
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Comments (4)
Retrothing's got a post up lamenting the death of the Automat, that low-hassle, tip-free dining experience of the past. But the Automat is still around, albeit in pockets: the Netherlands has got their FEBO chain, and NYC is home to Bamn on St. Mark's.
Hit the jump for large pictures, and remember a time when your food wasn't brought to you by a frustrated, Shakespeare-trained actor who despises you.
Photo credits:
Top: Adam Kuban
Second: Alix Guillard
Remainder: David Leong via Facebook
Comments
I visited one of those on Gr�ningen, in the Netherlands. This wall of junk is great for when you end up past drunk and crave fat et unhealthy food :)
I cant say i like it much but the sheer convenience of it and the fact that you dont have to talk to anyone - no one would understand my slurry drunk english anyways.
Check it out worth the dollar you drop in it no more ;)
I just came back from Amsterdam, and I'm gonna say, this food was WAAAY too scary for me to eat, but the place was packed. The only food i would have tried would have been the made-to-order French fries in the back, but skipped that too. It's kind of like Russian roulette though, put in a dollar, hope that sandwich won't kill you..
oh my god, I just had a terrible nostalgia attack! I saw my first Automat while visiting Amsterdam when I was about six, and I was completely fascinated: hot food! right out of a wall! What could be cooler?
I was reacquainted with the phenomenon last year on another trip to Amsterdam, and I found it still held the same appeal. Others may visit for the drugs and prostitutes, but just give me cheap, greasy, junk food out a wall and I'm a happy camper.
I went to the last standing automat in new york in the early 90's and one thing that really made them an experience to remember was the grand huge spaces they owned on the corners of Manhattan. Really high ceilings, decorated like city halls, echoes even the slightest whispers. The food as well was produced by cooks in the back, nothing synthetic about it. The re-introduction of the automat makes is more of a fast food version.