APRIL HN

In 1902, Horn & Hardart opened the first automat in Philadelphia at 818 Chestnut Street, where passersby can still find the original “Automat” sign today. Ten years after the success in Philadelphia, the company opened stores in NYC. While many consider the automats to be the first iteration of a quick-service restaurant, they differed from our current fast-food establishments. Elegant seating, art deco architecture, and an element of sophistication meant that patrons from all social classes ate in these affordable food halls. The Automat merged home style, self-service food with technology in a way that Americans had not Experienced. At its peak in the 1950s, Horn & Hardart operated over 100 locations in New York City alone. The chain of automats fed over 800,000 people a day, making it the world’s largest restaurant chain. The rise of fast-food restaurants and drive-throughs of the 1960s marked the decline of Horn & Hardart’s Automat and by the early 1990s, their final restaurant had closed. The automat concept is making a resurgence today, given the desire for contactless pickup and convenience. Spurred by the COVID-19 global pandemic, customers’ behaviors have changed. From “drive-up” options at Target and Walmart to ordering through apps like DoorDash and GrubHub, people want convenience. To evolve with this new demand, RPI Industries developed

A SAFE FOOD DELIVERY SYSTEMWITH CUBES THAT EASILY CONVERT TO HOT OR COLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE, PATENTED TECHNOLOGY. A STATE-OF-THE-ART SMART LOCKER SYSTEMWITH POWERFUL AND PROVEN SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT.

Learn more at www.RPIindustries.com/ondo OR CALL 603-743-0997 FOR A CONSULTATION