It was a treat to go with Mum and eat at Woolworths Cafeteria at Town Hall Sydney.
Dougwe said
06:56 PM Dec 27, 2018
Not only the prices Ken but check out the counter and surrounds mate. WOW! I thought the Fonze was going to enter from stage left.
Coles in the good old days had a Cafeteria as well, just as good too.
I miss the old Woolworth's and Coles stores.
Big Gorilla said
07:07 PM Dec 27, 2018
Yes Doug, I was thinking about Coles. My Mum used to take me to one of those luncheon counters, either Woolies or Coles, but I have in the back of my mind it was another store we used to go to. I'll check with my sister. Her memory might be better than mine. I'm thinking of downtown Brisbane where we used to go. In my younger day, there were no suburban shopping Malls like today.
The Travelling Dillberries said
07:21 PM Dec 27, 2018
I'm reliably told by my mother (91yo), in Newcastle Cafeterias were at Coles, David Jones and The Store. I remember going to the Coles one many times.
Those were the days, a new Matchbox or Dinky toy & a pie with sauce with Mum.
We used to like the Myer cafeteria occasionally as a treat, it was a bit upmarket for us, but you could go back for seconds.
Dougwe said
06:28 AM Dec 28, 2018
Morn'n Rocky mate.
I remember standing in the cue behind that barrier at the counter and I reckon mum and I sat at that second table bottom right in your pic, you were probably the kid behind me that said G'day.
The Belmont Bear said
06:53 AM Dec 28, 2018
The Travelling Dillberries wrote:
I'm reliably told by my mother (91yo), in Newcastle Cafeterias were at Coles, David Jones and The Store. I remember going to the Coles one many times.
Besides Coles,Woolworths, DJs and The Store Newcastle's Hunter Street also had cafeterias in Wynns & Waltons Department Stores which we also went to back in the 50/60s. It was part of the big day out to catch a double decker bus the 25kms into town with our parents.. Thanks BG for the reminder of a different era...no Maccas, KFC or shopping malls around in those days.
That photo in the OP has to be late 60s or early 70s as the prices are in decimal currency.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 28th of December 2018 06:57:32 AM
rockylizard said
08:35 AM Dec 28, 2018
Gday...
Yeah ... the world sure woz a different place before the KFCs and Macca's arrived.
I used to love the cafe at Spencer Street Railway Station back in the 60s, 70s and early 80s. All gone when they upgraded the place to Southern Cross station.
BB, I reckon the pic of Woolies food counter is from the good ole Yew Ess of Aye and it is of an early era -
Yeah ... the world sure woz a different place before the KFCs and Macca's arrived.
I used to love the cafe at Spencer Street Railway Station back in the 60s, 70s and early 80s. All gone when they upgraded the place to Southern Cross station.
BB, I reckon the pic of Woolies food counter is from the good ole Yew Ess of Aye and it is of an early era -
Yeah John having a closer look at the photo you are probably right it does like something from the US the style even looks a bit Art Deco - I just assumed it was a photo of a woolies cafateria as that was what the topic was about.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 28th of December 2018 09:41:32 AM
LLD said
10:01 AM Dec 28, 2018
The highlight of a trip to Melbourne when I was a kid was Coles or Myers cafeteria.
LLD said
10:12 AM Dec 28, 2018
In the late 1950s a pie/pastie with sauce was 1 shilling (later to be 10c). It had been 10 pence and I'd get 2 pence worth of liquorice squares. I was given a shilling some days for lunch. The prices in the menu are a similar amount. 1 shilling in 1955 equates to $1.68 these days.
Big Gorilla said
10:54 AM Dec 28, 2018
Just had an email from my sister. The Lunch Counter our Mum took us to was Pennys Department Store in Queen Street, Brisbane. I believe Pennys later became Coles.
The Belmont Bear said
02:49 PM Dec 28, 2018
BG you made me curious so I did a search on Google images for that photo it is actually from a Woolworths store in the US taken back in the 40s or 50s hence the Art Deco appearance. When you look at cafeterias, cafes, milk bars etc. all around Australia from the 50s and 60s we really copied the American style.
Cheers
BB
Big Gorilla said
03:04 PM Dec 28, 2018
Interesting. I don't know where that particular store was, I just received the photo in an email...
Check out the prices !!
Coles in the good old days had a Cafeteria as well, just as good too.
I miss the old Woolworth's and Coles stores.
Yes Doug, I was thinking about Coles. My Mum used to take me to one of those luncheon counters, either Woolies or Coles, but I have in the back of my mind it was another store we used to go to. I'll check with my sister. Her memory might be better than mine. I'm thinking of downtown Brisbane where we used to go. In my younger day, there were no suburban shopping Malls like today.
I'm reliably told by my mother (91yo), in Newcastle Cafeterias were at Coles, David Jones and The Store. I remember going to the Coles one many times.
Gday...
AHHHH .. ya got the ole memory cells working BG.
http://www.woorillacaught.com/food/coles-cafeteria/
Cheers - John
We used to like the Myer cafeteria occasionally as a treat, it was a bit upmarket for us, but you could go back for seconds.
I remember standing in the cue behind that barrier at the counter and I reckon mum and I sat at that second table bottom right in your pic, you were probably the kid behind me that said G'day.
Besides Coles,Woolworths, DJs and The Store Newcastle's Hunter Street also had cafeterias in Wynns & Waltons Department Stores which we also went to back in the 50/60s. It was part of the big day out to catch a double decker bus the 25kms into town with our parents.. Thanks BG for the reminder of a different era...no Maccas, KFC or shopping malls around in those days.
That photo in the OP has to be late 60s or early 70s as the prices are in decimal currency.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 28th of December 2018 06:57:32 AM
Gday...
Yeah ... the world sure woz a different place before the KFCs and Macca's arrived.
I used to love the cafe at Spencer Street Railway Station back in the 60s, 70s and early 80s. All gone when they upgraded the place to Southern Cross station.

BB, I reckon the pic of Woolies food counter is from the good ole Yew Ess of Aye and it is of an early era -
https://www.historicunioncounty.com/article/woolworths-lunch-counter
Cheers - John
Yeah John having a closer look at the photo you are probably right it does like something from the US the style even looks a bit Art Deco - I just assumed it was a photo of a woolies cafateria as that was what the topic was about.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 28th of December 2018 09:41:32 AM
Just had an email from my sister. The Lunch Counter our Mum took us to was Pennys Department Store in Queen Street, Brisbane. I believe Pennys later became Coles.
BG you made me curious so I did a search on Google images for that photo it is actually from a Woolworths store in the US taken back in the 40s or 50s hence the Art Deco appearance. When you look at cafeterias, cafes, milk bars etc. all around Australia from the 50s and 60s we really copied the American style.
Cheers
BB
Interesting. I don't know where that particular store was, I just received the photo in an email...