THE AUTOMAT

The Automat is the charming and fascinating account of the history of the iconic restaurant chain Horn & Hardart, which served affordable-priced quality food to millions of New Yorkers and Philadelphians for over a century. Founded by Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart in 1888, it revolutionized the nation’s restaurant scene with comfortable interiors, quality food, and state of the art technology. The chain embraced those who often were not welcome in restaurants, including immigrants, the working-class, Blacks, and women.  Horn & Hardart’s innovative technology captured the public’s imagination like nothing else in the 1900’s -- the customer put nickels into slots and little windows opened to reveal the customer’s pick, be it a slice of pie, macaroni and cheese, or a Salisbury steak. The documentary’s theme song was composed by comedian and writer Mel Brooks, who speaks with great affection about his days eating at the Automat.  Others include the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, actors Carl Reiner and Elliott Gould.  Directed by Lisa Hurwitz, who spent 8 years unearthing remarkable archival footage and interviews.