The Washington times., 1923-06-14
AUTO CATERERS
DRIVEN OFF
STREET
PerambuIating Lunch Wagons
Operated for War Risk EN-
pIoyes Under Ban
By GEORGE FRANKLIN

! there an occasional exhibition Of q
spirit of independence which re-
fused to disguise the brace of sand
| witches. cut of pie and thermal out
fit as anything, but . what they
really were featured lunch hour to-
day in hundreds of offices Of the
Veterans Bureau. The usual con-
tingent, it is said, patronized the
cafeteria operated within the build
ing by outside interests.
Conversion of the immense build
ing into an eating house resulted
from an order of the police which
went into effect Tuesday forcing
tha half-doZen automobile lunch
wagons to vacate the streets par
alleling the building.
Previously more than 1000 of the
employees of the bureau were accus
toned to patronize the itinerant
caterers at lunch time. They did
SO for one reason. The automobile
lunch operators were hitting the
nigh cost of living a series of body
blows that practically cut the cost
of lunches squarely in half. It also
hit the profits of other cafeterias and
caused many Of them, 1t is under
stood, to enter vigorous complaints
against motorized competition.
At the automobile lunch stand q
dime produced two sandwiches
where at cafeteria stands it could
make but one materialize while
patrons Of the former insisted that
sandwich for sandwich the auto.
mobile brand made the cafeteria
representative look like an aenemic
apology.
Other favorite luncheon tidbits
were priced correspondingly. In
size, pie cuts were all to the adj
vantage Of the automobile caterer
while the costs were scaled down
from two to four cents.
Furthermore, patrons Of the auto
mobile lunches insist that the quail
ity and variety of the lunches sup
piled left no choice between them
and those obtainable elsewhere
Portions generally were larger and
the costs considerably lower than
in the cafeterias.
Today hundreds of employees are
freely denouncing the order which
has resulted in boosting their living
costs even when lunches are brought
from home. They declare they will
not be driven to patronizing the
cafeteria in the building nor any Of
those in the neighborhood held by
|
moval of their favorite lunch
| wagons.
Proprietors of the latter have not
been slow to show their apprecia-
ton of the attitude of their patrons.
Where it has been possible to do
| so they have secured empty rooms
opposite the bureau building and
continue serving lunches at old
prices. Temporary counters have
| been constructed by them, wooden
plates provided and individual
spoons. Every thing offered for sale
is wrapped in tissue paper so
patrons can carry their lunches to
their office if they care to do 80.
Comment Of Owner.
81 have no comment to make on
the order compelling US to abandon
our automobile lunch service" de-
clared Mrs. J. r. Castell. You can
see how I have met the situation"
| Mrs. Castell stood behind the coun-
ter in her improvfsed lunch room
and surveyed the display Of food pre-
pared for customers.
81 am really sorry Tor q lot OF
| the girls and women employed In
| the bureau. The automobile lunch
caterer saved her many penny
each week on her lunches. For a
while, at least, I intend to continue
the service at old prices and make
a go Of it if I can. Yesterday most
| Of my old trade came and brought
their friends with them. We did a
| big business. But here we are
under heavier expenses and 1t re-
mains to be seen If we can meet
| them and carry over. kind or
feel we will win"
When the move on" order went
into effect six automobile caterers
were serving employees of the bu-
| reau each noon with lunch. Four
of them, it is said, have been un-
! ablea to secure suitable quarters
and have either gone out of bust
ness or will operate in other Sec
| tons of the city.
Cafeteria proprietors in the neigh
borhood smiled today when asked II
they are pleased. with the action
| driving their automobile competitors
| out Of the neighborhood.
| "Of course l am glad they have
moved H." said the proprietress
of one lunch room. But 1 admit
1t has not greatly increased our
revenues SO far. The reason we
charge higher prices is because our
expenses are greater. We have to
| do it. There should be lots of
business round the ebureau, and
possibly there will be when the
clerks get tired of packing lunches
| with them from home. / under
stand some of the automobile lunch
| people have moved into vacant
rooms. Well, they will freeze ont
there and quit
| Fruit Men Included.
Fruit vendors come under the
police ban and will not be permitted
to make hour stands in the streets
before the bureau Several of them
| have followed the automobile Ca
terers and are sharing rent ex-
penses with them. Others have
| made arrangements to occupy small
| spaces in the cafeterias in the
neighborhood
| They believe they can continue
! doing profitable business with the
! bureau clerks, as they say that,
when the midday sale is over they
can reload their pushcarts and
continue working the highways as
at other times
The disappearance of the automo-
bile lunches has robbed the neigh
borhood of one of it's picturesque
daily features.
| Wed kick If it would do any
good" said an employee Of the
bureau, suspending operations on a
chocolate bar long enough to ex
press herself. But what would II
amount to! Nit. For one I'll follow
the auto lunch wherever 1t goes