Frank Hardart

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Frank Hardart, Sr.

Frank Hardart Sr. (* 1850 in Sondernheim as Franz Anton Hardardt ; † 1918 ) was an American entrepreneur.

In 1853, his widowed mother emigrated to the United States with him and his siblings. In 1888 he opened a café in Philadelphia with the businessman Joseph V. Horn . From these beginnings, the Horn & Hardart vending machines developed in New York and Philadelphia from 1902 : self -service restaurants in which the dishes and drinks were held in vending machines . They are regarded as the forerunners of the later fast food chains or system catering .