In Real Photos: The American Restaurants That Vanished

What finally closed the doors on the restaurant chains that once fed millions of Americans every day, and was it the same reason each time? From a nickel dropping into an Automat window in New York City to Howard Johnson's orange roofs, the Woolworth lunch counter, Burger Chef's flame broilers, and the prefabricated roadside diner, this is the true story, told through real archive photographs. Join host Hal Whitaker for a look back at how your parents and grandparents ate at the restaurant chains and lunch counters that vanished. CHAPTERS 0:00 The Nickel and the Pie 0:24 Before the Chains 3:06 The Automat's Rise and Fall 4:34 Howard Johnson's Orange Roof 6:48 The Woolworth Lunch Counter 8:23 Burger Chef's Quick Rise 9:22 The Smaller Names 10:49 The Roadside Diner 12:54 What Finally Closed the Doors Did you eat at these restaurant chains and lunch counters, or did someone you love? Tell us your family's story in the comments. ABOUT THIS CHANNEL The History Broadcast shares true stories of American life through real photographs and archival film. NOTE The photographs are real and credited below. Every fact in this episode was checked against the sources listed below. PHOTO & FILM CREDITS "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass. via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Arthur Tress via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) B via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Berenice Abbott via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Bernard Gotfryd via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz, a photo credit would be appreciated if this image is used anywhere other than Wikiped via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Carol M. Highsmith via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Curt Teich & Co. via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Florida Keys--Public Libraries via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Florida Memory via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) Horn & Hardart/Lumitone Photography, New York via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Horn and Hardart--this appears to be a postcard designed to promote business for the restaurants. via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Infrogmation of New Orleans via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) JOHN LLOYD from ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON, United States via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Jim Pickerell via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) John Margolies via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) John Vachon via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives Lumitone Photoprint via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Phillip Pessar from Miami, USA via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Pub. by Howard Johnson Publishing Department, Bedford, PA. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Ti via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Taken by Antandrus via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) TenPoundHammer (wachovia_138 on Flickr) via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Hennepin County Library as part of a cooperation project. The donation via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Tichnor Brothers, Publisher via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Uncredited for Tallahassee Democrat via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Unknown author Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) Warren LeMay from Covington, KY, United States via Wikimedia Commons (CC0) w.marsh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Music: "Twilight poem" by zero-project (jamendo via Openverse), CC BY 3.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division (FSA/OWI Collection; John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive; Carol M. Highsmith Archive) SOURCES Wikimedia Commons; Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division; Library of Congress John Margolies Roadside America Collection; DOCUMERICA; National Archives; Farm Security Administration; Office of War Information; Carol M. Highsmith Archive; New York World-Telegram and Sun Collection; Gottscho-Schleisner Collection. #VanishedRestaurants #AmericanHistory #Nostalgia