looking for a translation

[ratcreature]

I'm looking for the English word for "Kaffeeklappe", i.e. an establishment where workers can buy cheap meals (and as the name implies coffee) but which is not serving alcohol like pubs are. Traditionally they were located in or near the industrial areas, like in the harbor. These first opened in the 19th century as part of the anti-alcoholism movement. The official German term was "Volkskaffeehalle" (public coffee hall?) but the informal term is much more common. It comes from the food being served from the kitchen into the dining area through a serving hatch. They are not very common anymore, having been replaced by various fast food options, I guess. Is there an English equivalent? I thought maybe "greasy spoon" might fit, except that the dictionary tells me that term dates only to the 1920s, and I'm looking for the 19th century thing.

Comments

[teneagles.livejournal.com]

Though mostly now only found in institutions such as schools and hospitals, cafeterias were very popular in late 19th century America. Though not part of the temperance movement, they were often run by socially active organisations in the interest of providing cheap food to the working poor.

Automats were also popular in the late nineteenth century, and into the first half of the twentieth.

Diners, mentioned in the comment above, didn't become popular until the first decade of the 20th century.

[ratcreature]

Thanks, it's good to know that diners started later.