The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-26

had but few minutes 10 spend for their
MONDAY meal. or who had very limited
amount OF money to spend. AS years have
passed the dairy lunch idea has devel-
oped. and one by one the leading articles
of food found in the best restaurants. with
the exception OF meat. have been added TO
the dairy menu. And now dairy really
does not tell what these establishments
are except that they make a specially OF
serving large quantities of good cream
and milk at small prices.
Perhaps the largest patronage these es-
ADJUSTMENTS receive is from the large
stores and business houses along Washing
ton, Illinois and Pennsylvania streets And.
of course, the best-patronized of these
places are found in the vicinity of the larg-
est stores and office buildings.
The dairy" lunch rooms are queer-lOok-
ing places to the man or woman who has
not seen them in other cities. They have
no menu cards, neither have they any
walters or mattresses, and having no wait
ers or Mattresses is. perhaps, one Of the
reasons the dairy lunch rooms can put out
such good articles of food at low prices.
When one walks into one of these places
about the first thing he sees is a sort of
jardiniere stand heaping up with lump
sugar. A few yards farther back is the
counter where is displayed in tasty array
q. large assortment of the pure food ar
ticles, pies, cakes, and, if it is in season,
large dishes of berries. Just now very
spetIzing docking dishes of sliced peaches
and half canteloupes take the place of fruit
on the dairy lunch counters.
When the man behind the counter-clerk,
ahof hot he ID
hands mug of coffee out to the patron
he is told to step UP in front of the counter
and get his sugar. This style of service is
termed 'cafaoria" in some of the large
establishments in Chicago. where there are
no walters or mattresses, and there are
no tables in these places, either. In their
stead are long rows of large-armed chairs.
The arms OF these chairs are large enough
to hold dinner plate. side dish" or two
and cup of coffee or mug of milk.
BIG RUSH AT NOON.
For two hours about noon, and especially
from noon till 1880. all of these lunch
rooms. and the more expensive ones. too,
for that matter, are so well patronized that
il is almost impossible for one TO find a
chair after he has got his order filed. These
establishments are kept open all night, and
the ones in Washington street do lively
business around midnight. when the hum
dreds of young people are returning 20 town
from the parks and waiting for their cars
at Washington and Illinois streets.
And, in speaking OF midnight lunches, the
quick-lunch wagon must not be overlooked.
For the several quick-lunch rooms on
wheels, which usually spend most of the
night about Washington and Illinois and
Washington and Pennsylvania streets do
thriving business every night, rain or
shine. For the small amount of space they
contain these wagons have a surprisingly
large assortment of eatables. Most Of the
things served from the wagons are put up
In the form OF sandwiches. These estab-
lishments- carry no vegetables or fruit, but
they certainly have about every kind of
meat and fish on the market. Most of their
patronage is the five-cent kind. but If a
man or woman happens along who wants to
spend 10, Is or 20 cents the aproned man
I'm the wagon can furnish 1t. These lunch
wagons have more or less tempestuous
career. to speak, and frequently some
Councilman wants TO introduce an ordi-
nance to drive them out of business, but
they make their appearance night after
night. summer, fall. winter and spring, and
1T looks as though they are an institution it
will be hard TO drive out of business, if
real effort in this direction should be
made.