Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-07
LUNCH ROUTE OFFERS
A VARIED STUDY IN
REALM OF PSYCHOLOGY
Style of Orders From Second
and Market to Broad and
Chestnut Streets Covers a
Wide Range
GLANCE AT RESTAURANTS
Midday Hour Offers Fine Field
for 0bservant
Person

The range Of orders in the lunch rooms
throughout the various parts OF the CEN
tral city district form an interesting study
Tor psychologists. From the rolls and
eouee' cry OF I'd and Market streets TO the
chocolate eclair and cup of chocolate"
murmur at Broad and Chestnut streets,
there are intervening steps that in them
selves show the underlying differences In
the habitues Of the popular-priced res
taurants
The room at I'd and Market streets.
on the fringe OF the garment workers
district, is practically empty at noon.
Then comes a flood of men and women
who hurriedly gnaw their rolls and gulp
their coffee nervously as they talk I'm
offhand manner Just how they are going
to raise the extra 5000 they need to set
up in business for themselves. Not all of
them, OF course But for even a few
OF this class OF workers. who disgust the
walters with itching palms ever empty.
10 talk of setting up for themselves seems
surprising. To the man who was born
and bred in this country II is paradoxical
TO talk about thousands of dollars and
TO confine oneself to such n meagre re-
past In the middle OF the day.
And the cigarettes they smoke Just
Whit and one with an Imagination can
picture himself in some Chinese Joss
house, where the incense is of the bones
OF Confucius, long decayed and laid to
rest.
sTH AND CHESTNUT
A gradual transition is noticed as the
scene is shifted to Sth and Chestnut
streets. where the customers are drawn
from the business district. The increase
In the bill for luncheon increases from
the 10 cents to a quarter or 30. goulash,
lamb stew and other delicacies adding
little to the diners nutritve absorption
and taking much from his pocketbook.
Business deals OF minor importance are
the topic of discussion. HAS Jones got
the order from the carpet people?' and
similar questions with the resultant an
swers occupy the half-hour, for that is
the average time for luncheon here.
As the observer walks up Chestnut
street and is engulfed in the passing
stream of Romeos, clothed I'm the latest
Chestnut street fashion. which they fond
ly believe strikes the utra-fashionable
keynote in mems dress, and which is de-
cidedly not he is fully prepared for the
trivial, inane discussion that spouts and
streams like a mid-Victorian novel writ
ten by coal-heaver over the polished
marble surface of the table.
Say, whadyu think Mildred told me
last n!ght?" and Gee, met the swellest
chicken last night" are some of the stock
sayings that go hand in hand with the
lunching Romeo, who takes up the time
and patience of the Mattresses, tries to
jolly tnem (and Is rewarded with vivid
facial expressions that tell graphically
that the waitress would like to take the
little boy outside and spank him), all OF
which he does for 10 cents worth of
chocolate eclair and a cup of chocolate.
Even this looks to be sufficient to make
one of the buttons on his tightly cut
waistcoat pop OFF. You sit thaEe, mouth
open, waiting expectantly and hoping
that something of the sort will happen.
But 1t never does. The Romeo Judges
his capacity with a finesse which is some
thing he finds impossible in other lines.
QUANTITY AND QUALITY"
Weary. of the Romeos, who, by the
way, eat the sandwiches that mother
makes before they venture forth on their
eventful lunch hour. you sink into the
haunt of the bourgeoise near 11th and
Market streets.
Men who are skilled in their lines OF
trade and those who take a hearty in
terest in sport and could tell you Cap
Luderus' batting average ever since ne
left the breweries of Milwaukee to break
up the game with a circuit smash over
the wall, eat their food mechanically
and discuss the chances OF Pat Morans
tribe to have victory perched on their
fiagpole after the worlds series. Their
slogan, outside OF roofing for the Phils,
Is quantity and quality in regard to
their lunch, and the waiter grins as
they leave. A jitney or a dime Is al
ways waiting for him, hidden by the edge
OF the coffee cup.