How could this have been profitable? I find myself looking at images of uniformed gas-station attendants in cute caps, cheerfully wiping your windshield. I’m too young to remember those guys, but we’ve all seen images.
Inflation-adjusted minimum wage was higher back then, so it’s not like they worked for free. I’m guessing it’s before the advent of “maximizing shareholder value” as the only measure of business success. Back in the last century, businesses had other values as well.
Because tickets were 5 times as expensive as they are now.
That explains so much. Good thing Sam Walton came along to teach us how to be good at business, eh?
Airline meals still are good, if you travel first class
A first class ticket is about the same price as a regular ticket was in the 60s too…
Ah, yes, airline food - all of the nutrition of actual food replaced with the essence of stale vomit.
I fly first class I can tell that no the food is not still good. It may look real pretty but it’s all precooked, reheated swanson level buffet food designed to be laid out prettily on plate.
Why is Airline Chicken so called?
I’ll have the fish
My father worked on the Alaska Marine Highway (Ferry service throughout southeast Alaska) and he said that they used to have a Maitre D’ and had good quality cooks in the kitchen that could make some fantastic steaks or prime rib. Nowdays it’s set up like a really lame cafeteria with nearly all of it being food you pick out and take to a microwave to heat it yourself and then purchase it. I do wonder how much of it was just the fact that some of these were new businesses trying to impress their guests and after a decade or so realized where they were hemorrhaging money and how to cut corners.
Hey, we all have our peccadilloes, no need to advertise them.
Which is likely what golden-age food was like, too. Plus the fact that in the 60s they liked food that would be considered inedible today.
I just remembered the time I had really good airplane food. I was on Air France, naturellement. Instead of microwaved goop, my meal was a nice little slice of brie and some crusty bread and a little salad stuffed in a pita bread and a little bottle of French spring water and a bottle of cheapass wine. Nothing hot - that’s the secret. Also, I think they’re under orders from the government to make France look good.
Oh, and this was in coach.
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