John B, Stetson Company Cafeterias - 1921

Central Kitchen for Employee Cafeterias -
John B. Stetson Factory Complex Phila.

May, 1921. PLANT-RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT

The Three Cent Unit Check

Problems That Have Been Solved in the Big Restaurants of The John B. Stetson Company

By William H. Linton. (Manager, Employes' Cafeterias, The John B. Stetson Co.)

Years ago, during the prime of his business career, John B. Stetson planned and developed ideas in welfare work along many lines that are now being followed more universally than was thought possible in his time. The care of his “family”. as he called the small group about him, extended in every direction where his fatherly interest could be of benefit. Among these activities he soon saw the wisdom of providing for the comfort of the "inner" man and established a dining room for the use of workers.

At first, only coffee, tea and milk were provided to supplement the lunches carried by the workers and later soup, sandwiches and ice cream were added to the list as required. Today however, with the tremendous growth of the plant to a group of 28 buildings and 4000, or more, employes, the present officers of the Stetson plant felt the need of more up to date appointments. and have established a complete new cafeteria system comprising four large dining rooms and a modern kitchen with butcher shop and store-room attached.

This department opened on September 3, 1919. and proved a decided success from the start and during the first year of operation served 333.113 meals to the workers as well as 1905 to guests and special parties. The kitchen is located on the 6th floor of the main office building with a dining room adjoining on either side. allowing for easy distribution of supplies and renewals during the lunch hour.

RESTAURANT FOR GIRLS.

One room seats about 250 men of the office and finishing room groups, while the other accommodates about 500 from the sizing department. which had never been provided with adequate seating accommodations before. On

Men workers are permitted to play cards and smoke in the cafeteria after the lunch is over.

In the Stetson restaurants, most careful study has been given to the order in which lunchers shall he served.

An additional aisle outside of the guard rail, permits the convenient passage of lunchers to the tables.

the fourth floor of the same building, another cafeteria is established for the benefit of the girls of the various finishing departments and has a double U-shaped service counter and a seating capacity of 800 or more.

In building 13, there is a fourth cafeteria on the third floor arranged to accommodate both men and women to the extent of 450. All food and supplies are carried to this point on trucks by way of elevators and bridges and is entirely satisfactory. as there is no need of going out of doors during the trip. Each service station is provided with ample steam tables, coffee and tea urns and dish washing facilities. The wooden service counters are of uniform type throughout with ash tops, easily cleaned, and ample shelves for display and storage purposes.

Three of the rooms have double service units on the one counter with the steam table inserted in the center and the employes approach from the outside, picking up their trays and cutlery at the end and secure their ice cream, pastry, salads, bread and butter, beverages, soup and combination dinners in the order mentioned, leaving the counter at the center and passing the checker as they turn to the aisle leading to the tables. In the girls' room on the fourth floor the service counters are back to back and the trays and cutlery are stacked at the end where the girls can pick them up before they reach the tray slide.

The order of service is somewhat reversed as each counter has a small steam table and they secure their food in the following order: soup. combination meals. salads. bread and butter. pastries and beverages. The coffee urns in this case being on a central stand between the counters with faucets on both sides of each for the benefit of the two groups of servers.

USE WAl.l. MENU BOARDS.

There is an additional aisle outside of the guard rail to allow those carrying their lunches to pass by freely and dishes and silver are stacked on one of the tables for their use. Many of these girls step to the further end of the counter and secure coffee or tea thus reducing the number which would otherwise be forced to pass by the regular service counter.

In each room large menu signs are hung where the menu and prices for the day are displayed and arranged to be seen as the men or women form in line. The number of checks required for each dish is marked up rather than the cash value, so as to minimize the chance of error on the part of the checker. The checking system is probably rather unique as they are sold by the cashiers in strips of ten for thirty cents, every article being priced at three cents or a multiple thereof.

For example a Friday menu:

Clam Chowder . . . . . . 2 checks ( 6 cents) 
Broiled Shad, Boiled Potatoes, Peas 
. . . 8 checks (24 cents) 
Roast Beef, Boiled Potatoes. Peas 
. . . 8 checks (24 cents) 

Sandwiches: Ham or Cheese........... 2 checks ( 6 cents) 
Pies: Apple, Cherry or Cocoanut.... 2 checks ( 6 cents) 
Peaches, oranges or apples. . ...... .. 2 checks ( 6 cents) 
Ice Cream . . . . . . . . . . ./ . . . ... . . .. 2 checks ( 6 cents) 
Coffee, Milk, Tea or Cocoa. .. . .... . 1 check ( 3 cents)

It. has always been the firm's practice to sell their lunches at less than cost, to such an extent that, previous to the establishment of the present cafeteria system, the checks were sold on a two cent basis and soup and sandwiches were served for four cents and coffee, tea or milk at two cents. However, with the development of a more elaborate menu and service it seemed wiser not to jump to a five cent basis, which prevails outside the plant, but adjust it to a three cent unit which has proven entirely satisfactory. It soon developed that the combination meal served to the men at twenty-four cents was more liberal in quantity as well as too expensive in price for the girls' requirements and a smaller combination was served at four checks or twelve cents which immediately became popular and has added materially to their interest in the cafeteria. Such combinations as these are offered: Hamburg steak, onions and mashed potatoes; frankfurter, krout and mashed potatoes; salmon, mayonnaise and potato salad; ham croquette, tomato sauce and potatoes.

It is interesting to note the various check averages of the different rooms as they seem to respond to the physical activities of the working groups.

NO COM PULSORY PATRONAGE.

For example: Room I, catering to the office and finishing departments averages around 24 cents per man; Room 2, the sizing department, where heavy physical work is required, runs about thirty-one cents; Room 3, comprising all girls who are seated at work all day, 15 cents. Room 4, catering to both men and women, 21 cents.

The general average check during the busy season ran around 23 cents, while at the opening of the cafeteria it ran about 17 cents. This shows very emphatically that the people of all departments soon found that the substantial meal served at such moderate price easily over balanced any economy in carrying lunches and added materially to one's comfort and well being during the rest of the working day.

As you may observe from the arrangements described, there is absolutely nothing compulsory about patronizing the cafeteria in so far as the buying of food is concerned but all employes are instructed to leave the work rooms for the noon period and eat their lunches in these rooms where everything is arranged for their use. After their meal is done the men are at liberty to play cards or smoke in the cafeteria and the girls have very attractive rest rooms with literature, couches and easy chairs at their disposal. Music is not provided in the cafeteria but pianos and phonographs are in many of the girls' work rooms and are used during the working hours.

The Stetson auditorium is one of the largest in Philadelphia, seating over 5,000 and is used extensively for meetings and celebrations, the notable one being the day before Christmas when approximately $500,000 in bonuses and gifts were distributed to the employes.

August 1921 Issue

.