, 1872-10-20
Hote1s and Eaotea Life.
The American and European Plans Com,
pared...GroTing Popularity Of
the European Houses.
lnn-Keeping Abroad and at Home---
Family Eoteis and Apart
ment Houses.
The Leading Caravanseras,
and Their Character
istics.

"ANe 0AANtA
istics.
From Our O,rn Correspondent.
NEW Eon,l, Oct. 16, 1872.
Hotel-life has long been \ feature of America;
has been extending and improving for years. and
has future that will far surpass its present.
The system ne hare adopted here las had q
transatlantic influence, and We, III turn, have
been affected by the European system to such
an extent that public houses on that plan are
rapidly increasing.
TIRE AMERICAN PLAN.
The tendency in this city is decidedly to tho
European plan, which is Q fayorite at once with
proprietors and their patrons. Nearly al tho
new andpretentious hotels have adopted it, aud
not few Of the old establishments. It is not
at all improbable that, ten years hence, tlero
will not be, in the entire town, iirst-c1ass
house conducted On the American system. The
adVocates Of this are usually what arc
known rs old-fashioned people: possessed Of e1-
cellent appetitee, and prejudiced in favor OF o
liberal bill of fare. They are conservative in
their physical, not less than in their mental
tastes Accustomed to the American mode. they
are unwilling to change. They may have had,
too, some unfortunate experiences Of the Euro
pean plan, and they remember it to their mate
rial cost. They declare they want to get their
moneys worth: and that: by paying for each arti-
Gle they order, their breakfast cannot be had for
less than three, or their dinner for less than
four or five dollars. The members OF this class
resist the foreign innovation rigidly adhere to
the American houses, and will to the last.
great many others, especially those WHO
Low
entirely modern III their opinions and inclina-
tions, prefer
THE EUROPEAN SYSTEM.
They claim that it is every way superior to
the other plan; that By it, and by it alone, they
pay for what they get, and not for what they do
not get. They add that food cooked to order is
vastly better and more wholesome than when
prepared altogether, as it is in the American
houses. In the latter case, they say that
everything tastes alike; That there
is no perceptib1e difference between
beef and mutton, quail and wood
cock chops and chicken except in name; and
that the dreadful monotony of such diet soon
destroys ones appetite, and ultimately ones
digestion. If they miss their meals often at the
hotel, as almost every New Yorker does, they
are not compelled to pay for them. as they are
on the American system, whether they have
them or not. It is
SINGULAR
that, according to the national method tie pa
tron Of hotel is charged for his dinner da1v
although he may not eat it twice month. The
reason given is, that it was all ready for him.
and that the house gains nothing BY his ab-
sence. This is logical, so far; but the illoSi-
cal part lies in the fact that, if Mr. Smith, WHO
misses, on average, 20 to 80 meals month,
invites Mr. jones to dinner once q month, be is
charged from one dollar and a half to two dol
lars for the extra dinner. Strict Justice would
avff4 mi NIL rfHr-
balance the uneaten ones; but. as the rule OF
business is to make things count to your ad-
vantage, and, as hotels form no exception, strict
Justice is not to be expected.
Living on the European plan requires some
STUDY AND EXPERIENCE
to prevent its becoming very expensive. II
man have such s. breakfast or dinner at the Bre-
wort or Clarendon-ln point OF variety mean
AS he would have at the st. Nicholas or the
Fifth Avenue, it would cost him from four to
seven dollars, instead Of one dollar and half to
two dollars. The reason is, that, when he can
have anything on the bill for fixed price, he
orders much more than he wants; and that
when he pays for each article, he is careful what
be ORDERS The waste, On the American plan,
falls upon the hotel; and on the European plan,
u1on the patron; and this, according to the
landlords, is the advantage to them Of the latter
system-
After a few pangs Of his purse, the boarder
grows discreet, being careful to order few dishes,
and only those he feels confident he can dispose
u1s Dy cUIptnS ns appetlte IRON a een6e OF
economy, he soon modihes it. at tie end Of |
two or three months, he finds be eats much less |
than he did, and that he is the better therefor.
1t Is very easy to recognize an experienced |
patron Of the European plan: He is guarded |
aud cautious, without any of the prodlgality or |
recklessness that ordinarily marks the repre- |
sentative Of the Model Republic. He under !
stands portions thoroughly; he knows what !
dishes are given Iberally. and what scantily; has
measured, in word the full purchasing cepa-
city of dollar.
HEALTH PROMOTED. |
That the European plan is hea1thful to the |
body, II not to the finances there can be little |
doubt. 1t certainly has tendency to lessen the |
eat more than we require, or is good, We are |
correspondingly benefited thereby. T have |
known numerous instances of this kind; former |
enthusiastic admirers Of the American system |
and having, by. the change, unquestionably pro-
1onged their life.
THE TWO PLANS cos1pAnED.
Having tested both plans. greatly prefer The
sive than the American. One does not get as
tired OF tho former as Of the latter, for
the reason, as has been stated, that
the food oe mt haa ana canno sne aSa
mt the table dhote The European plan is much
cheaper, proportionatey. for two persons than
for one, and might consequently be regarded as
the more natural, since Nature a arr99nges hu-
7ish is sufficient for two, unless the boarder re- !
eemble the gastronomc sago who pronounced |
the turkey an unsatisfactory bird because it MAS
little more than enough for one and not quite
enough for two.
4 mans breakfast or dinner will cost him. for
himself Alone very nearly, it not quite. as much
Ii it would for himeelf and friend. Hence, the
European plan may be said to encourage matri-
though less generally than It ought to be- by the
price Of living. 1t il the sole condition have /