An idea whose time has come...again?

[trof]

McDonald’s tests self-serve kiosks
Customers could place orders on touch screen
THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH uses electronic terminals known as kiosks, lets customers place their orders on a touch screen and either pick their food up at a separate area or wait to have it brought to their table.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/936536.asp?0na=x2213272-


Meet Me at the Automat

Horn & Hardart gave big city Americans a taste of good fast food in its chrome-and-glass restaurants

It was once the world’s largest restaurant chain, serving 800,000 people a day. It was Horn & Hardart, and its cavernous, waiterless establishments represented a combination of fast-food, vending and cafeteria-style eateries. These restaurants, with their chrome-and-glass coin-operated machines, brought high-tech, inexpensive eating to a low-tech era.

http://www.theautomat.com/inside/welcome/welcom_atlantis.html

Horn & Hardart's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 cup Elbow macaroni, cooked
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups Milk
Salt to taste
2 TB Light Cream
White Pepper to taste
1 1/2 TB Butter
1/4 c Canned tomatoes, chop fine
1 1/2 TB Flour
1/2 ts Sugar
1 1/2 c Cheddar Cheese, shred

Prepare oven to 400°F.
Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.
While the milk warms, heat the butter in another saucepan over low heat for 1 minute until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Pour the hot milk into the butter--flour mixture and cook, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for a few minutes, until thickened.
Add the cheese to the white sauce, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the cayenne, salt and white pepper to taste.\
Stir the tomatoes and sugar into the cheese sauce.
Combine the cooked macaroni with the sauce, and pour into a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.