Okay being English here, dammit, we had no idea about this automat chain of American fast food restaurants. Operated by US food service company Horn & Hardart it was basically the McDonald’s and Starbucks of the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s.

After economic downturn, the chain closed its final store in 1991.

Directed by Lisa Hurwitz, the story of this influential precursor to world dominating fast food joints is told in The Automat (2021). It also features comedian Mel Brooks extensively and that’s not a bad thing at all, is it?

Reminiscing About Giant Vending Machines in The Automat

The Automat is a love letter to this fast food chain. The restaurants basically functioned as large vending machines.

There were versions all this concept all around the world, with the first launching in Germany in 1895. Others opened in Holland and Japan.

But this documentary is all about the Automat—the US one.

The brand became so popular in America it featured in many movies—below you can see how the whole service worked from the film That Touch of Mink (1962) with Doris Day and Cary Grant.

As you can see then, the places were like one giant vending machine.

Customers would go in and see row after row of little window compartments. Next to each one would be a descriptive placard of what food was contained within.

Hungry customers would then insert a nickel into the coin slot, twist a “turn” knob, and open the hatch to receive their food. These little signs were dotted about the place to help out new customers.

The food was very cheap and of good quality, but another aspect to the experience (extensively discussed in the documentary) was the social element of The Automat experience.

It became famous for welcoming one and all.

Rich, poor, famous, reclusive, and whatever your background. It was diverse—the tacit policy was take a seat at a table if there was a chair free. And these places were very popular, so it got people talking over coffee and food and created a harmonious atmosphere.

No other food establishment had that sort of vibe going.

The Horn & Hardart company opened its first food service venue on June 9th 1902 in Philadelphia. The business was run by Joseph Horn (1861–1941) and Frank Hardart (1850-1918) and the documentary takes great pains to highlight they were altruistic in their leadership.

They genuinely cared about their staff.

Loyalty was rewarded with strong financial returns and Horn & Hardart even created initiatives such as helping staff during difficult economic periods and encouraging employees to talk directly with them for support (financial or otherwise). Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart went as far as to attend weddings and funerals of employees.

But at the centre of The Automat is a discussion of food.

Think of other food documentaries, such as the 2011 hit Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and that’s what it’s all about. Some major luminaries turn up on The Automat to reminisce about their experiences dining at the fast food joint.

Most notable is Mel Brooks (who is very, very enthusiastic about the place) of The Producers (1967) fame amongst many other movies. He even sings a song to honour the restaurant he has such strong nostalgia for.

Given he was 95 when he gave his interviews for The Automat, it’s remarkable how with it the bloke still is. Mentally he’s still as sharp and funny as they come.

Other enthusiastic voices include M.A.S.H and Friends actor Elliott Gould, lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and politician Colin Powell.

Nostalgia plays a big part in their enthusiasm, for sure, but The Automat did sound like a cheap and welcoming environment for people of all situations.

It had a very strong run of success for about three decades straight in America, but then began a gradual downturn due to a variety of factors.

Not least competition from faster food services such as McDonald’s.

In the end, The Automat became something of a joke. An environment where weirdos and bums would hang out as they could sit inside all day without getting kicked out. The final Automat closed its doors in 1991.

Although the ending was sad, there’s no denying Lisa Hurwitz’s documentary is a great fun time of it.

It’s a film that passionately, and rather charmingly, covers a vibrant period in the early-mid 20th century where globalisation was advancing at a rate. The Automat as a chain didn’t move outside of America, but its inclusive atmosphere made it stand out.

The talking heads who turn up to enthusiastically talk about Horn & Hardart make this a funny and lively documentary.

It’s a love letter to a bygone era. One that makes for great viewing with its life-affirming considerations on what the world could be for everyone.

A Few Notes on the Production of The Automat

The Automat launched in America in 2021. It’s just became available in the UK as of November 2023 and we were eager to give it a whirl.

It was a small release in the US and had a box office run of $257,221.

The documentary was well received by critics, who praised its mix of insights from former employees, famous names, and archival footage of The Automat in action.

Lisa Hurwitz was able to get access to Mel Brooks thanks to knowing Carl Gottlieb, who’s a close friend of Brooks. After Gottlieb mentioned the documentary project to Brooks he was very enthusiastic to get involved.

Just to note, this was also Hurwitz’s directorial debut. Heck of a way to hit the ground running getting an industry legend in!