Hang Me Up

1937

The history of takeout food dates back to ancient times, when street vendors sold ready-to-eat meals. Archaeological evidence reveals early examples, such as cook shops uncovered in the ruins of Pompeii and tamale stands in Aztec markets. By the 1920s, restaurants in the United States began to promote takeout. The earliest takeout menus emerged in the late 1930s, sometimes with a hole at the top, allowing them to be hung on a wall near the phone. Two menus illustrate this largely forgotten design feature.