17 Old-School Restaurant Features You’ll Wish Were Still Around

Restaurants from the past had their own charm, and these 17 nostalgic items will make you reminisce about the good old days of dining out.

The cigarette machine in the lobby/ waiting area.

Does anybody else remember getting the comic books from Big Boy? Or coloring in it before your food arrived?

Milk shake blenders that made the shake in a large metal cup. They would pour the milk shake into the glass and give you the rest of it in the metal cup. What a deal. Can you still get a malted shake anywhere? They were delicious.

I remember the taco bar at Wendy’s.

Matches with the restaurant’s name embossed on them, by the register, next to the mints.

Cafeterias in discount stores. K-Mart had a delicious orange drink that I absolutely loved. And going to Woolworth’s for a burger, fries, and a chocolate shake.

You could call a restaurant to speak with someone you knew was there.

A smoking section.

Small jukebox at your table to choose songs and insert your quarter (for 3 songs).

Pancho’s Mexican restaurants with the flag on the table you raised when you needed more food!! Loved that flag especially when it was my turn to raise it. Ahhh memories!

When McDonald’s deep fried their pies. (Pro tip: McDonald’s in Hawaii still do).

A&W had drive in service, they’d bring a tray out that attached to your window. I remember white castle in Vancouver (late 80s) had trays that stretched window to window across the car.

I remember the waitress bringing everyone at the table a glass of water right after we were given menus.
Now you have to ask for a glass of water.

Arcade games in the pizza joints.

I was a kid but I remember when Shakey’s Pizza Parlor had actual live entertainment in the form of banjo players. They also showed old comedy short films. There was a non chain pizza place called Pipe and Pizza that had a giant Wurlizer concertina (like a giant one man band) and a blind organist (who played Led Zeppelin if you asked).

Salad bars, lots of restaurants had salad bars in the 1980s. Now, i can’t think of one locally. Ruby Tuesday’s, but I think they are all closed.

Ponderosa! You’d grab your tray and silverware and work your way through the line to order your food and pay then fill up on the food bar as they cooked your food to bring to your table.