9. Teenagers could order alcohol
Ah, weren’t those just the days? Many states had lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18, so many teens were able to order drinks at dinner.
10. Smoking was also allowed
Nowadays, even the very common vape pen or e-cigarette is not allowed indoors. Most restaurants had non-smoking sections, but it was very common to witness a veil of smoke throughout the bar area.
11. Department stores had actual dining rooms
There are stores like Nordstrom that have their own full-service restaurant, but back then they had actual, full dining rooms in department stores. Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s were among the many that sold sandwiches, salads, and desserts onsite for their shoppers.
12. Literally everyone had a Diner’s Club card
Travel and entertainment charge cards were the next best thing and everyone had them unless you were paying with cash (which everyone carried on their person).
13. Restaurants with air conditioning were not common and a big deal
Being able to come by a restaurant with air conditioning was very few and far between, so it was a very large selling point to have air conditioning in your restaurant, especially in the summertime!
14. Customers controlled the music
Those jukeboxes you see in the movies are all very much real! Customers controlled what music the restaurant played via jukeboxes.
15. 24-hour restaurants were very few and far between
Today, we see 24-hour McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts locations. Back then, they were extremely scarce. You could certainly find a 24-hour diner, but your traditional restaurants would be closed.
Do you remember any of these facts about dining out 50 years ago? Be sure to SHARE this article if you do!
How Kids Used to Eat in the 1950s…
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