What Was It Like Eating At Restaurants 50 Years Ago? 70-Cent Meals And Jukeboxes

6. Menus were a lot shorter back then

Nowadays, we absolutely love the novel-length menu at The Cheesecake Factory. Menus back in the day were a lot shorter and asking for substitutes earned you quite the dirty look.

7. The food was much cheaper than it is today

Back then, a roast turkey dinner with sides came out to 70 cents in 1963. Nowadays, all of that at your finest establish would easily spike up close to $100.

8. There was no sparkling water available

Sometimes when dining out you like to get a bit fancy with your water options. Back then, there were no options for sparkling water. Water, soda, and beer were the main beverages back then, but sparkling water began to dominate the restaurant industry in 1977.

9. Teenagers could order alcohol

Ah, weren’t those just the days? Many states had lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18, so many teens were able to order drinks at dinner.

10. Smoking was also allowed

Nowadays, even the very common vape pen or e-cigarette is not allowed indoors. Most restaurants had non-smoking sections, but it was very common to witness a veil of smoke throughout the bar area.

There’s more on the NEXT page! Head on over for more restaurant facts…