The Story of Horn & Hardart Coffee
People still tell us they remember the coffee at Horn & Hardart. For many, that smooth cup is as much a part of the Automat as its glass doors and dolphin-head coffee spouts.
The story begins with Frank Hardart, who started out as a dishwasher in New Orleans. There, he learned the essentials of great coffee. How to roast beans, grind them properly, serve the brew at just the right temperature, and finish it with just enough cream to bring everything together.
After answering a help-wanted ad placed by Joseph Horn, Frank moved to Philadelphia. Together, they opened their first restaurant on December 22, 1888. There were no table, just a long counter with fifteen stools. The very first customer made a simple request: “A cup of coffee, please.” After a thoughtful sip, he declared, “Ah-h-h! The best coffee in Philadelphia.”
Frank had introduced the French-drip method of brewing which was a smoother, more refined approach than the boiled coffee most people were used to. The difference was immediate and memorable.
To keep up with growing demand while maintaining consistency, Frank partnered with Alexander Sheppard & Sons Coffee Roasters in Philadelphia. One of their defining features at the time was roasting the coffee “absolutely dry.”
Joseph Horn was famously uncompromising when it came to quality. Well into the 1940s, he would occasionally visit an Automat unannounced, taste the coffee, and insist on a fresh pot if it wasn’t perfect. That attention to detail paid off. At its peak, Horn & Hardart was serving 70 million cups of coffee each year.
A 1962 managers’ rule book made the company’s priorities clear: “The proper preparation and care of coffee is the most important feature of our business.” That same year, Horn & Hardart launched its “Gilt Edge” coffee blend in grocery stores, allowing customers to bring a taste of the Automat home for the first time.
Today, coffee is where we’ve begun bringing Horn & Hardart back. Our Automat Coffee is crafted in Philadelphia, where the story began. It’s our way of carrying forward a tradition that people still remember, one cup at a time.
