Product Details

Beautifully engraved antique stock certificate from the Waldorf System Incorporated dating back to the 1920's. This document, which is signed by the company Vice President and Asistant Treasurer, was printed by the American Bank Note Company, and measures approximately 11 1/2" (w) by 7 1/2" (h).

This certificate's fantastic vignette features the company' famous Red Apple logo, flanked by a pair of female allegorical figures.

Images

You will receive the exact certificate pictured.

Historical Context

The first New England based lunchroom, or cafeteria, chain was Waldorf Lunch. Established in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1904 by Henry S. Kelsey, Waldorf Lunch was named after New York's Waldorf Hotel on the premise that its efficient service could rival the famous luxury hotel's.

Within a dozen years the company opened 23 locations in Boston and Cambridge, as well as 37 others, most of which were located in the northeast.

By 1929, the company had 147 eateries and served 52 million meals a year. The company's Red Apple logo was a fixture on the urban scene, with many locations open 24 hours a day.

Dishes were standardized, with many being prepared at a central commissary to optimize economies of scale. Coffee, donuts, soups, sandwiches and simple entrees were featured and prices were kept low to attract local workers.

The company operated independently until the mid 1960's when it was taken over by Restaurant Associates. By then, the company was already in decline, being pinched by the likes of McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and the burgeoning fast food industry.

Waldorf started closing locations until it was completely gone by the mid 1970s.