Italiano
The Covid-Case will change the Catering Business for good. How many times have you heard that?
Well, it seems like it will, at least as far as concerns a few aspects. Self-Service is one of them.
The daily routine of Fast-food workers (and patrons) is changing due to the new safety disposition and social distancing rules. But will that change the business for good? Uhm, unlikely I’d say.
Why unlikely? Because self-services have been around for ages. Literally.
Thermopolia, ever heard of ’em?
They were the fast-foods of the classic world. Very popular in the whole territory of the Roman Empire, they probably were used even before in the Greek Cities (hence their greek name, meaning “hot food shop”).
Those were consisting of a a large countertop, usually positioned in a small room; sometimes though, said rooms were larger, probably containing tables and chairs for the customers. A sort of “Lounge room” ante-litteram.
The countertop had some earthenware vases embedded, called “Dolia”, used to store dried or cooked food.
Olives, pears, figs, nuts, lentils and poultry (the red meat was kind of a luxury food at the time) were the best-sellers. And wine, of course.
The customer were mostly working class lads. Only a circle of wealth people had kitchen in their own house (dedicating a room of the house to cooking was considered an extravagancy).
And, despite being a kind of hangout for the “blue collars”, a few historians actually wrote that nobles and aristocrats scorned Termopolia publicly, but they didn’t dislike after all to stop by for some dried seafood, almonds or cheese with honey!
