JF Ptak Science Books  Post 1376

The Borden Company–at one time the largest producer of dairy products in the U.S.– published the little pamphlet (Modernization Handbook) from which these pictures below are taken. Published in 1945, this slim work was meant to entice owners of luncheonettes and pharmacy/soda shops to upgrade their businesses, so that they could sell more product, so that they could buy more supplies from Borden.  Borden wasn’t offering financing, just supply-side friendly advice to the folks selling their goods.

A large amount of this “modernization” had to do with swivel chairs/stools, chairs around a long lunch counter that stood to serve the maximum number of people in a small space in the minimum amount of time, all while giving the patron a maximum visual field to the other stuff for sale in the establishment.

I’ve got to say that there is a long simple elegance to this–sitting at a table within sight of the person cooking your meal, check-to-jowl with probably-unknown fellow diners, getting your food quickly and probably freshly and with minimum fuss. There is definitely pleasantness seeing your food prepared before you, a better type of fast food, far removed to a comparatively superior land when compared to dealing with simple human interfacers between customer and the Conglomerate Cook of the modern fast-food behemoths.

And if you were to turn around in your chair,  this is what you would see:

Of course this was all about sales for Borden, and that’s fine, especially when the end result of the money-making idea produces the ultra-sweet highly anticipated sound of your plate sliding arorss the linoleum countertop.  Don’t forget your napkin.