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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat My dad (who is 81) used to tell me about an automat that existed in Philadelphia when
by rwhitman 14y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat
My dad (who is 81) used to tell me about an automat that existed in Philadelphia when he was young called Horn & Hardart, in which was purely a rack of vending machines where you got coffee, pastries, lunch etc. This was in the 1950's. The business collapsed in the 60's.
A number of other attempts have been made over the years to bring back automats, but none have been particularly popular in the US. From what I've heard, in Asia they are thriving.
For whatever reason, apparently we Americans need humans to serve us hot beverages.
- brc 14y agoI once visited a Japanese night club in Kyoto. All the beer & other drinks (coke, water, etc) in the club was served by vending machines around the edges of the club. There was a bar but you only went there for cocktails or mixed drinks, and you paid through the nose for the pleasure. It's one of those things that, when you see it, you wonder 'why isn't it like this everywhere?'. The answer is probably something to do with responsible service of alcohol, which for some reason isn't an issue in Japan (even though you see salarymen passed out in gutters everywhere, I guess they don't tend to get into fights)
- toemetoch 14y agoThere's actually an expo in Japan for Food Machinery and Technology: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSKMGurrPI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSKMGurrPI
- sien 14y agoAmerica has a lower minimum wage than quite a few places so automation isn't as cost effective as in other places with higher wages. Japan has loads of vending machines. In Germany you can get cigarettes from vending machines. Automated check out is similar. With the continuing drop in the cost of scanners and computers it's hard not to see this kind of thing increasing.