topic Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias? in Kitchen

Do You Remember Cafeterias?

ECBG — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:49:40 GMT

Here, growing up we had a long standing art deco building that was an S & W cafeteria. I used to go there on Saturday night as part of spending every weekend with my grandmother.

They had some good things. I liked the way they grilled a steak although usually I got the roast beef, mashed potatoes and a salad (their roquefort salad dressing was wonderful. I can't remember the vegetables, but I remember oil and vinegar on cucumbers and onions and congealed salads on a lettuce leaf which it seems few homes do today.

I couldn't understand why anyone would get garlic bread on a saucer (cold), Amazing egg custard pie, chocolate pudding, and strawberry shortcake.

Do you have any memories?

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Katcat1 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:55:11 GMT

I remember cafeterias in high school; in one building across from my office but none in my neighborhood.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:57:17 GMT

When I was a child, we had relatives in Ithaca NY. Ithaca had a cafeteria called the " Home Dairy ," and I loved it. It was also a bakery, and whenever we were in town visiting, I would beg to go there. There was something about filling your tray with what you wanted that thrilled me as a kid. 🤷‍♀️ It's long gone but a nice memory.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

SharkE — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:59:03 GMT

I remember a cafeteria up in Ind. that had the best pie. Pie crust, just the right kind is hard to find and hard to make. Their pie crust was to die for.

I got a lemon meringue coming to me from Scwan's LOL

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

jlkz — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:01:37 GMT

As a youngster, my grandparents would take me to Horn & Hardart automat cafeteria. Alsways got the same thing: Salisbury steak ( meatloaf ), mashed potatoes and baked beans. Dessert behind the coin-operated little door: lemon meringue pie ! I can still smell and taste it all.

Long gone...what a shame !

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

customerqvc2 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:03:16 GMT

For a special treat, we would go to Clifton's Cafeteria in California. The food was always delicious and we had so many choices!

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

GCR18 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:07:54 GMT

I don't remember cafeterias or eating out unless it was a celebration of some sort. I remember going on picnics with the maternal grandparents or eating at their house. We lived in an area where there were state parks with hiking and streams.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Goldengate8361 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:08:38 GMT

i LOVE cafeterias! i wish theyd come back. Anybody remember !ubys? It wasnt my favorite, but i vaguely recall a mass shooting at one....and it seems like they closed soon after. i cant remember the name of the cafeteria chain i liked....but i remember the roast beef well.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Kachina624 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:09:37 GMT

I think my first restaurant experience was the Picadilly Cafeteria in Knoxville, Tn. and their blueberry pie. I later ate at Picadillys in Texas and here in NM.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Kachina624 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:12:23 GMT

@Goldengate8361 There were many Luby's in Houston long after that incident and one at the mall in Lubbock.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

ECBG — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:12:40 GMT

@Katcat1 wrote:
I remember cafeterias in high school; in one building across from my office but none in my neighborhood.

@Katcat1 This was down town.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Goldengate8361 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:14:54 GMT

@Kachina624 I stand corrected; thanks. i also remember the Picadilly cafeterjas.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

PA Mom-mom — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:17:45 GMT

@jlkz My Mom took me to a Horn and Hardart in Willow Grove, PA. We would go when shopping in Jenkintown.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

SXMGirl — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:23:52 GMT

I grew up with Horn & Hardarts, but when I lived in SC,we had S&S and Morrisons. Loved those cafeterias!

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

jlkz — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:24:33 GMT

@PA Mom-mom

We took the train into Philadelphia. Got to use the little gum chiclet dispenser in the waiting room. The room always smell as though it was 100 years old with uneven wooden floors !

We got shoes at an orthopedic shoe place even though there was no need for this format. Of course, my sisters and I would " play " with the foot x-ray machine where you could see the bones move as you wiggles your feet.

Amazing we don't have issues from that playing !

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

on the bay — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:36:41 GMT

My father's favorite place to go and take us was Horn and Hardart too.

We always got the same exact thing and I loved opening the little doors and getting whatever we wanted.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Eileen in Virginia — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:48:02 GMT

I remember going to the Horn and Hardart Automat cafeteria in Center City Philadelphia when I was a kid. Since we lived in the suburbs, it was a treat to go there (usually after getting our school uniforms). I used to love the little cups of baked beans. They had walls of "food dispensers" that each held one kind of item on the menu and kept it warm. Each had a door that opened when you inserted the correct amount of money, in nickels only. We kids thought the best part was the huge bags of nickels that the cashiers had to make change for customers.

When DH and I moved to DC, we'd sometimes go to Scholl's Cafeteria. All the food was freshly made on the premises and it was very good. It wasn't that far from my office, so I went there for lunch sometimes. You could see anyone from a street person to a political appointee there and everyone was treated with respect. If someone needed help with their tray, the cashier would ring a bell and an employee would carry it to their table for them. It must have closed about 30 years ago.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:50:35 GMT

I remember eating at Bishop's Buffet, a cafeteria in Rockford, Illinois. They had the best Chocolate Silk pie.

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

Sheila P-Burg — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:10:06 GMT

The only cafeteria I remember growing up was at Woolworth's Five and Dime. Does that count?

Re: Do You Remember Cafeterias?

coco14 — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:12:38 GMT

The automats in NYC were always my favorite place to go - the last one closed I think in 1966 -

To have such choices right there in front of you was so exciting - I was given my nickels and could pick out anything I wanted, until my nickels ran out.

I wish I could have shown the automat to my nieces - in 2002, I think, The New York Public Library and the Museum of the City of New York had exhibits on them and my nieces both said how great it would have been to go to one.

It didn't take a lot of money to make a lot of happy memories.