Schrafft's (restaurant chain)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant, Confectionery |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Founder | William G. Schrafft |
| Fate | Most restaurants closed by late 1970s; candy business ceased 1981 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | New York metropolitan area, Boston, Philadelphia |
| Products | Restaurant meals, candies, ice cream, gift baskets |
Schrafft's was a prominent chain of moderately priced, high-traffic restaurants in New York City, connected to the Schrafft's confectionery and food enterprise originating from Boston. The establishments featured dining rooms with tablecloth service during dinner hours, distinct bar areas, as well as fountain lunch counters and retail sections offering Schrafft's branded candies, ice cream, and gift baskets.
History
The company was founded by William G. Schrafft as a candy manufacturer based in Boston before branching out into the restaurant industry. In 1898, Frank G. Shattuck, previously a Schrafft salesman from Upstate New York, launched a candy shop at Broadway and West 36th Street in Manhattan. His sister, Jane Shattuck, was responsible for introducing light lunch options at these locations.
The initial venue serving food was established in Syracuse, New York in 1906. By 1909, the second New York City outlet on West 23rd Street in the Ladies' Mile Historic District had begun offering full meals. By 1927, Schrafft's operated 25 restaurants primarily within New York City; by the following year, monthly lunch revenues had reached .
Schrafft's cultivated an atmosphere appealing to an upper-middle-class clientele, employing mostly female cooks and supervisors. During the 1920s and 1930s, menus highlighted salads, desserts, and vegetable dishes such as creamed cauliflower.
The Great Depression era saw expansion facilitated by rent reductions; by 1937, there were 43 locations mainly across the New York metropolitan area, with additional outlets in Boston and Philadelphia. The 1939 WPA Guide to New York City recorded that Schrafft's maintained 38 metropolitan sites serving traditional American home-style cuisine. At its height, the chain comprised approximately 50 restaurants throughout greater New York.
In the late 1960s, Helme Products acquired the Schrafft's candy division while Pet, Inc. purchased the restaurant operations in 1967 for . Pet endeavored to rejuvenate the brand by refurbishing eateries, introducing men-only sections, and launching a series of Schrafft's motels.
Despite these efforts, the chain experienced decline throughout the 1970s, with most outlets closing by the end of that decade. The candy business ceased operations in 1981; remaining restaurant locations underwent multiple ownership changes thereafter.