À la carte

91  Huyler’s  NYC c 1924.jpg

Creator

Huyler's

Title

À la carte

Coverage

New York City

Date

ca. 1924

Description

In the 1920s, confectionary chains like Huyler’s operated tearooms, which were then at the height of popularity. Still, most of the nation’s tearooms were small operations owned, operated, and staffed by women. “These little businesses were virtually synonymous with female self-expression,” recounts historian Jan Whitaker. Serving hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches, and home-cooked meals in cozy surroundings, these restaurants were largely patronized by traveling motorists and middle-class teetotalers who supported the temperance movement.