When Pie Was a Nickel: Vintage Photos That Capture the Magic of Automats

Written by Erin Kuschner on July 28, 2025

A woman in a coat selects food from a self-serve automat, opening a small glass door labeled "Sandwiches" to retrieve a plate, with more food compartments visible along the wall. The scene is black and white.

Once considered the future of dining, automats embraced both convenience and novelty. The self-service restaurants were first introduced in the early 20th century and required customers to insert coins into a wall of glass doors, where they could pull out everything from a cup of coffee to a slice of pie to a sandwich.

While we may be wary of robot waiters serving us in restaurants today, we can’t help but feel nostalgic for the automats of the past. These photos are a reminder of a time when the latest technology took the form of a piece of cherry pie delivered through a glass portal.

1. Two Very Excited Children Grab Some Pie (1950)

Two smiling children stand at an old-fashioned automat; the girl holds a plate of food while the boy retrieves a dish from a small serving window, with rows of cups and plates visible behind them. — Bettmann / Getty Images

2. An Automat in New York City Selling Plenty of Dessert (1936)

A man in a long coat and hat selects food from a vintage automat with small glass-fronted compartments labeled “CAKES” and “PIES.” The setting appears to be an old-fashioned self-service restaurant. — BurnedOutSoul / Reddit.com

3. Lunch at the Automat (1957)

Black-and-white photo of people dining and standing at an automat, selecting food from wall-mounted compartments. Several tables are occupied; hats and coats hang on a rack nearby. Signs above read "CAKES," "PIES," and "SANDWICHES. — DynastyFan85 / Reddit.com

4. Stocking Up on Sandwiches (1948)

A woman and a man in vintage clothing selecting food from a sandwich vending wall at an automat, each holding a tray, with another person visible in the background. — sussoutthemoon / Reddit.com

5. ‘Late-Night Dining at a Horn & Hardart Automat’ (1930s)

A vintage photo of a brightly lit Horn & Hardart Automat restaurant at night, with people dining inside and classic cars parked on the street in front. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

6. Picking Up an Order of Hot Beans (1955)

A person removes a dish of soup from a small metal door in a wall of vending compartments at an automat restaurant, holding the plate with one hand and opening the door with the other. — Shorpy

7. Audrey Hepburn at an Automat (1952)

A woman in a dark coat selects food from a wall of small compartments in an automat restaurant. Other patrons are visible in the background, and the sign above reads “Sandwiches.” — GuySmileyButNot / Reddit.com

8. A Postcard of Horn & Hardart, Once the Largest Chain of Automats in the World

Vintage photo of a Horn & Hardart Automat in New York, with large red signage above the entrance, menu boards for pies and coffee, and rows of empty tables and chairs visible inside. — Aggravating_Tax_4670 / Reddit.com

9. An Automat Machine Dispensing Fruit in London, England (1920)

A woman in a coat and cloche hat selects canned food from a vintage vending machine labeled "FRUIT" on a city sidewalk, with other people visible in the background. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

10. Getting Coffee at an Automat in Philadelphia

Black and white photo of an ornate early 20th-century cafeteria with people at a counter, one labeled “Cashier.” Two women and a man are selecting food, with staff visible in the background. — picryl

11. While More of a Grocery Store Than a Restaurant, This Automat in Stockholm, Sweden, Was Said To Be the Largest in the World (1960)

Black-and-white photo of people using a long row of vending machines on a wet sidewalk at night. The sign above reads “MATKÖP – HELA DYGN” advertising fresh food from automat machines, with buildings in the background. — gratisargott / Reddit.com

12. Refrigerated Sandwiches for Only 25 Cents (1950)

A smiling woman in vintage clothing holds a sandwich in front of a retro vending machine labeled "Delicious Refrigerated Sandwiches." Her reflection is visible in the machine’s glass. — Giaguaro2023 / Reddit.com

Looking for similar content?

If you’re curious about how the middle class has changed over the decades, give 13 Things the Middle Class Can No Longer Afford and 15 Things That Used To Be Affordable But Are Now Reserved for the Rich a read. Or check out 13 Classic 1960s Products That Bring Back Memories for more items that used to be cutting-edge.