Book Description

The average person entering a diner, lunch-wagon, cafeteria, restaurant, or hotel dining room, whichever his choice may be, seldom considers the story behind his selected food-serving establishment. He knows nothing of the history or growth of the catering industry, of the legislation passed for his protection by both federal and state governments, or of his problems connected with actual plant operation, overhead or fixed costs, purchase and preparation of food, or labor problems. Nor would he in all probability be particularly interested in a study of all these problems were he made aware of these existence. In general, it is felt that the catering industry plants and employees are merely public servants that exists solely for the service, pleasure, and convenience of those who desire prepared food outside of the home. Just as most public utilities are accepted as institutions which have gradually become necessities for service and convenience of the public, today we find that most catering establishments are accepted as necessities by the consuming public. No further thought is given to them. Service performed in the catering industry is taken for granted. Whether or not the entrepreneur receives a fair return on a fair valuation of his investment, whether or not his property is maintained by proper allowance for his depreciation, whether or not the food that he serves has been chemically treated ot meet the few requirements of state and federal government bureaus of public health, whether or not employees are paid minimum subsistence wages and are forced to work unjustly long hours seems to be of no great public concern. The National Consumers' League, working through several of its divisions, such as the Consumers' League of New York City, and the Ohio Consumers' league, has attempted to improve conditions in this large, unnursed industry by appealing to the public, and those persons influential in state governments to pass laws for the protection of restaurant workers. it has done a marvelous piece of work! But on the whole, the American public has not been, in the past, and is still little concerned about improving conditions in this industry.