Lunch Counter - History

History

Woolworth's, an early five and dime chain of stores, opened their first luncheonette in New Albany, Indiana, and expanded rapidly from there. Lunch counters were often found in other dimestores, like S. H. Kress, H.L. Green, McLellan's or McCrory's. Members of the retail staff who had taken lunch counter training would staff the counter during lunch time, or if a shopper wanted to place an order for a snack. Typical foods served were hot and cold sandwiches (e.g., ham and cheese, grilled cheese, BLT, patty melt, egg salad), soups, pie, ice cream (including sundaes, ice cream sodas and milkshakes), soda, coffee and hot chocolate.

There are many lunch counters and diners in the United States. In the San Francisco area there is an old street car that was converted to a lunch counter style diner.