Must have been super weird working with such low absolute prices. If the food cost for your sando is 5c, your first step is a 20% margin. I imagine that had a decent influence on the dishes themselves.
5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
91–100 of 111 posts
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#92I want to know if this was hand-coded or what; would love a re-usable template to make exhibitions like this! Very good online display of digitized materials with interpretative journey.
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#93Tapping doesn't work on a macbook with tap to click. To see a menu I have to do a full click instead of a tap. In the several years I've had tap to click set I don't think I've ever run across a web page where tapping doesn't work like a click.
Navigation was quiet confusing to me on my Macbook as well. If the topic was not so interesting I would have left in complete frustration instead of deciding to fight the interface.
I just immediately went with the arrow keys on my MacBook.
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#94Anyone interested in this might also like the tidbit that in Germany, they used to, and still count beer consumed as pencil strikes on the beer paper mat. Altering the number by the guest is legally considered forgery and the disappearance of the beer mat is also punishable by law. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bierdeckel#Urkundencharakter (in German, English wiki doesn't have this info)
> In some breweries and countries, the beer mat placed on the glass signals to the waiter that the guest does not want to drink any more beer. Interesting. I’ve always seen this as a signal that a person was stepping away, but coming back. The person would cover it while going to the bathroom, in part so it isn’t as trivial for someone to slip something in their drink. Implying that they intend to keep drinking it on…
I have always seen this a a signal that the drinker doesn't want drowned wasps in their beer.
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In some breweries and countries, the beer mat placed on the glass signals to the waiter that the guest does not want to drink any more beer. Interesting. I’ve always seen this as a signal that a person was stepping away, but coming back. The person would cover it while going to the bathroom, in part so it isn’t as trivial for someone to slip something in their drink. Implying that they intend to keep drinking it on…
All over Germany, and it's been around much much longer than the fear of having something slipped in your drink.
Yes, I believe it stems from the tankards having lids back in the day, which is due to the belief that plague-ridden flies could fly into your beer, and also against "night air". Interestingly some Germans still believe "moving air" (well, draft) is unhealthy, especially from an AC, and the cold air is what makes you sick.
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#96Anyone interested in this might also like the tidbit that in Germany, they used to, and still count beer consumed as pencil strikes on the beer paper mat. Altering the number by the guest is legally considered forgery and the disappearance of the beer mat is also punishable by law. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bierdeckel#Urkundencharakter (in German, English wiki doesn't have this info)
> In some breweries and countries, the beer mat placed on the glass signals to the waiter that the guest does not want to drink any more beer. Interesting. I’ve always seen this as a signal that a person was stepping away, but coming back. The person would cover it while going to the bathroom, in part so it isn’t as trivial for someone to slip something in their drink. Implying that they intend to keep drinking it on…
In traditional Cologne brewery bars where they serve the local light beer (in small glasses of 200 ml) the waiter replaces empty glasses with full ones without asking. Unless you put the coaster on top.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6lsch_(beer)#Serving
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In some breweries and countries, the beer mat placed on the glass signals to the waiter that the guest does not want to drink any more beer. Interesting. I’ve always seen this as a signal that a person was stepping away, but coming back. The person would cover it while going to the bathroom, in part so it isn’t as trivial for someone to slip something in their drink. Implying that they intend to keep drinking it on…
I have always seen this a a signal that the drinker doesn't want drowned wasps in their beer.
The wasps drown. The hornets just drop in for a sip, and then fly off.
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#98Does anybody have a direct link about the archive they are talking about? I'm having trouble navigating the site tbh.
you can click through on this site, then on the menu click through to the actual resource
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#99Funny to see Marmite on a menu for a (presumably) fancy NYC restaurant
https://pudding.cool/2026/06/menu-story/assets/menus/474586....
Re: 5k menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880-1920)
#100I happen to need the inspo, some of the decorative details 'need' the SVG treatment.
The tools we have shape our graphic design and sometimes a look back through history, when they had different tools, provides a rich seam of inspiration. Thanks for the post!