Vintage Restaurant Merry Go Round Cafe Advertising Card San Francisco CA 1930s for Sale

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Vintage Restaurant Merry Go Round Cafe Advertising Card San Francisco CA 1930s For Sale

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Vintage Restaurant Merry Go Round Cafe Advertising Card San Francisco CA 1930s:
$18.64

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Estate sale find, vintage originalRestaurant Merry Go Round Cafe Advertising Card San Francisco CA 1930s.
Gustav and Gertrude Kramm were likely the first to introduce the merry-go-round concept to diners. Around 1930 they established two Merry-Go-Round Cafes in Long Beach CA incorporated as Revolving Table Cafés, Ltd. The corporation also produced the revolving serving tables. In 1931 Gustav filed a patent application for a “Café Table of the Traveling Conveyor Type,” for which engineer Harold Hackett was listed as inventor.
Essentially the conveyor system was implemented so that the maximum number of customers could be served a fairly wide range of food inexpensively in a limited amount of space.
Hot food, particularly main dishes, soup, and coffee, was delivered by servers who worked behind the counter.
The specialty of the Merry-Go-Rounds was the provision of full meals averaging 35 to 50 cents, an attractive bargain during the Depression. For 50 cents diners could order a main dish such as Ham Steak with Country Gravy and then choose two salads and two desserts from the revolving counter, along with all the relishes, rolls & butter, and coffee they wanted.
The Kramms operated some of the Merry-Go-Rounds and leased others. By the end of 1930 there were units in Long Beach (2), Los Angeles (4), and Seattle WA (1). Later Merry-Go-Rounds were opened in Huntington Park, Pasadena, San Diego, San Francisco, and possibly Santa Barbara, California.
Business thrived through the early 1930s. As the Depression began to take hold and the fad of automated cafeterias fizzled out, the franchises started to struggle. In some locations the prices for lunch a dinner dropped by a nickeleach. It didn’t matter.
One by one the individual locations would close. The final location to close was the 137 W. Ocean Avenue location in Long Beach. New owners took over the fledgling restaurant in 1938. It appears that that location remained open at least until October of 1943.
The item measures approximately 3.5\" X 5.75\", approximate shipping weight 2 ounces.
PLEASE SEE DESCRIPTION AND PHOTOS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS - The item appears to be in overall Fair to Good Minus used condition, signs of wear, creases, fading, tears, chipping, sunning and age toning, soiling, stains, writing, no odors, please see images.
(PH16-303)