Until the 1970s, the city was dotted with Schrafft’s restaurants, a popular mini-chain in the tradition of Child’s and Chock Full o’Nuts that offered sandwiches and ice cream—mostly to female diners.
“Despite efforts to attract more men as customers with the addition of cocktail bars at many “stores” as they were known, Schrafft’s remained known primarily as a woman’s emporium,” states the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, published in 2007.
“Hot fudge sundaes, lobster Newberg, and creamed chicken on toast could be had in an atmosphere of middle-class gentility.”
This 1959 menu comes from the wonderful menu collection that’s part of the New York Public Library Digital Collection.
Check out the offerings here—such as eggs scrambled in butter and crushed strawberry sundae.
Top photo: a Schrafft’s on Fifth Avenue and 13th Street, no longer there
Tags: Child's Coney Island, Chock Full o'Nuts, New York City menu collection, New York in the 1950s, New York Public Library menu collection, old restaurants New York City, Schrafft's, vintage menus
Ephemeral New York 
July 23, 2011 at 9:41 pm |
That Schrafft’s in the photo became in the 80’s the Lone Star Cafe, with the famous 10 foot long iguana on the roof. http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SLICES/lonestar/lonestar2.html
July 23, 2011 at 9:52 pm |
I remember that! Wish it had been a Schrafft’s into the 80s and early 90s though.
July 23, 2011 at 10:07 pm |
In the 1950s I walked by as a kid, and the place was too rich hoity-toity for my parents to go on. But by the 70s I did go and see a few country shows there. I remember Kinky Friedman, the good old Texas Jewboy, as he called himself at the time, sang at the Lone Star Cafe. Was too stoned to remember other shows.
July 24, 2011 at 6:53 pm |
Was there a Schrafft’s across the street from the 21 Club? I saw a film panning 180 degrees in front of the 21 Club and saw Schrafft’s etched above the entrance to the building.
July 24, 2011 at 7:05 pm
There was one on 49th Street & 6 Avenue, perhaps that’s the place?
http://mleddy.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-york-1964-schrafft.html
May 8, 2012 at 12:41 am
Close, Tom. It was West 51st/52nd Sts. It went straight through to 52nd St, with an entrance opposite “21.” The Rockefeller developers were unable to persuade “21” to move; otherwise Rockefeller Plaza would have extended all the way up to 53rd St.
July 23, 2011 at 10:28 pm |
I saw Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys at that honky tonk place on Third Avenue in the 20s…can’t remember the name but Kinky was very entertaining!
July 24, 2011 at 2:25 pm |
Do you remember an old Irish bar called Glocca Morra (whatever that means) on 3rd Ave & 23-24 St? Had live Irish music on weekends and was always packed with the crowds. I was there many a time drinking Guiness and belching.
July 24, 2011 at 4:08 pm |
Wildnewyork, I guess you mean the Rodeo Bar at 3rd and E27th. Mick, I think Gloccamorra became a bar called Poolbeg Street. It’s now gone too. Another NYU dorm now stands in its place.
July 24, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Yes, gone in drunkards memory. See other closed bars:
http://www.murphguide.com/closedbars.htm
July 24, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Ah yes, Rodeo Bar. That was 10 years ago and I don’t think I’ve been there since….
July 24, 2011 at 4:52 pm |
Our beautiful city is destined to become one huge NYU dorm. Meh.
November 26, 2012 at 3:25 pm |
I worked as a waitress in Schraffts in the late 1950,s had some good times and some not so good times I left to return to England and I went back to find it but it was not there.
November 26, 2012 at 4:56 pm |
You can’t expect it to be there from the 1950s? Girl, this is New York City, we’re moving fast here, get out of our way!
May 14, 2017 at 8:41 pm |
Hi Betty, do you happen to remember a waitress called Angela from County Fermanagh? Please drop me an email at findangeladolan@gmail.com if you do!
November 18, 2014 at 12:06 am |
Once, in the 1950’s for fun, three of us guys went to Schrafft’s for lunch It was a land full of noisy females. We enjoyed the food but felt like invaders of an undiscovered land. None of the ladies paid any attention to us. but we quickly finished our lunch and got back in the world we knew.
March 4, 2019 at 6:24 am |
[…] That broiled steak dinner now runs $9.09. But the cafeteria-style meal is still a bargain if you’re looking for an old-school New York experience or miss the city’s once ubiquitous mini-franchises, like Chock Full O’ Nuts or Schrafft’s. […]
August 25, 2020 at 2:14 pm |
[…] Manhattan, as well as Yonkers, Boston, Syracuse and Philadelphia. The image above is of the Schrafft’s on Fifth Avenue and 13th […]
November 20, 2021 at 1:57 pm |
I had an uncle that worked for Schrafft’s and had 5 large boxes of their original recipes in his house. I now have these recipes.
April 25, 2022 at 4:35 am |
[…] glad to see Schrafft’s make an appearance in the program; the restaurant chain famous for its ice cream was highly popular at the time. […]