I stopped by McDonalds in Tuckerton the other day. As I was standing in line, I glanced up at the price board on the wall. Suddenly, I was struck with a case of food prices sticker shock. I could't believe it. A McDonald's meal item was listed for $5.95! What happened to the cheap prices of fast food restaurants? The food service may still be fast, but the prices have been jumping up faster.
My memory flashed back to my elementary school days in the mid 1950's when I used to occasionally eat at Woolworth's lunch counter located on George Street in New Brunswick. It was the fast food place of that decade. I could get a bacon and tomato club sandwich and Super Jumbo banana split for 89 cents. What a bargain! No sticker shock back then.
1957 Woolworth's Lunch Counter Menu
Anyone remember eating at the Woolworth Lunch Counter in the 1950's and early 1960's? If so, where and what were your favorite menu items?
Prices here in New Gretna were also cheaper back then. I came across a 1963 photo of Sorocco's lunch counter which was located on the south-east corner of Rt. 9 and Maple Avenue about where Munchies is located today.
1963 New Gretna Ministrel Program Ad
The name of the establishment is misspelled in the ad.
It should be spelled "Sorocco" Home Cooking.
(See PPS below.)
Mary Surocca (center) and Charlie Sorocco with waitress, Dot Cramer, in 1963, at the Sorroco's Lunch counter. Food prices were listed on a board on the back wall.
Below is a close up photo of the Sorocco's price board which was much like McDonalds of today; however, the prices are noticeably more modest: Roast Beef- $1.25; Jumbo Shrimp- $1.00; Fried Oysters- $1.00; Hamburger- $0.90; Steak Platter- $1.50; Ham Platter- $1.25; Cheese Omelette- $0.70; Bacon & Eggs- $0.70; French Toast- $0.40; Ham & Eggs- $0.80; and Pancakes- $0.40.
The Soroccos employed many local girls as waitresses in their luncheonette.
Mary Sorocco (left) with local waitress, Louise Hickman.
Now that I've got my taste buds flowing, we'll have to do lunch sometime. I'll treat! The question is "Where do we go for those late 1950's to early 1960's prices?"
Pete S
PS- Does anyone out in the Blog-O-Sphere remember other local New Gretna girls who waitressed at Sorocco's Luncheonette?
PPS- I got the following email from Carole Sorocco Ruff, Mary and Charles' daughter, regarding the spelling of the family surname. I've made the appropriate changes from my original posting.
Hi Pete,
My parents spelled our surname “Sorocco.” I’ve seen it spelled with every conceivable vowel manipulation. My father was a New York City native. His grandparents came to Manhattan ab 1873/76 from Genoa, Italy, where the surname was originally spelled either Saracco or Soracco.
Carole