There was a time in Dayton when there were a dozen or more cafeterias operating downtown and around the city.
Here are a few that we miss and a couple that are operating in case you are craving that cafeteria vibe.
Sacksteder’s Cafeteria
Founder Ray Sacksteder got started in business by selling hamburgers out of a tent to the men building the Broadway Street bridge in 1925. His home was near the bridge, and he later made it into a cafeteria.
Sacksteder’s operated there under Ray Sacksteder until his son, Ray Sacksteder Jr., took over and moved to an old Liberal Supermarket site, at 1140 Wilmington Pike, in 1958.
Sacksteder’s specialized in home cooking and fresh vegetables.
“We cook the broccoli, for instance, just seven minutes before it goes out on the line. We don’t want our vegetables over 10 minutes old when the customer gets them,” Sacksteder Jr. in a 1977 Dayton Daily News interview.
At Sacksteder’s there were four standard entrees every day: roast beef, fish, meat loaf and chopped sirloin. Then there were four more entrees that differed with the day.
Sacksteder said there was a sales philosophy on how to arrange food on the cafeteria line.
“We put all of the items that the customer will normally have to take, like water glasses, napkins and silverware at the end of the line,” he said. “We don’t want the trays full before they get to the food.”
“We have our homemade salads first in line, and then there is a curve in the line. We don’t want them to look down a straight line and see so much food ahead. If they just see a little at a time, they will probably put more on the tray."
On why many downtown cafeterias were disappearing, Sacksteder had an opinion.
“I think that the downtown cafeterias did not survive simply because of a lack of parking, and also the fact that there is no business in downtown at night.”
“You can’t make it on one meal a day. You need the evening business and Sunday also,” he said. “We serve as many as 1,200 customers every Sunday.”
Culp’s Cafeteria
Charlotte Gilbert Culp, a widow who began selling baked goods in 1902 to support her six children, is the café’s namesake. The family opened a stand at the South Main Street market, and Howard Culp eventually expanded into the Arcade, where they sold poultry, eggs, cheese and dill pickles at three lunch counters.
In the 1930s, the family opened a full cafeteria in the Arcade, and nearly 10 years later were serving as many as 5,000 customers a day during World War II.
Both of Culp’s locations, 39 W. Fourth St. and at the Arcade, closed down in 1973 due to economic conditions. The Arcade location reopened later that year after a remodel.
The Culp family gave Dayton’s Carillon Historical Park and museum an initial gift over 20 years ago to start a small café. Today, Culp’s Café is an eatery paying homage to small soda fountains, lunch counters and the Culp family.
Virginia Cafeteria
The Virginia Cafeteria opened downtown in 1938, at 28-30 E. Third St. It was open 24hours a day, 7 days a week.
Their slogan was “The service and efficiency of the north ... The courtesy and hospitality of the south.”
A newspaper advertisement stated: “Already thousands have enjoyed the fine foods served at the VIRGINIA. Whether your selection includes tender meats, fresh vegetables, delicious desserts, fine baked goods, or tempting salads, you’ll find the preparation just suited to your taste no matter how discriminating you may be.”
The original proprietor was Frank McCroskey, a 25-year veteran of restaurants in Dayton.
Coffee was offered at no additional charge. Trays were made of lightweight bakelite, the lighting was indirect and pleasing and the chairs were form-built for comfort.
The Virginia was destroyed by a fire in 1950. The fire started in the basement of the cafeteria.
The Virginia was re-built and stayed open until June 1973. Owners cited a lack of a dinner crowd for the closure.
Westward Ho Cafeteria
For many years, Dave Beck, a former president of the Ohio State Restaurant Association, ran the Westward Ho Cafeteria, with locations at 1064 Brown St. and 2800 N. Dixie Dr.
In a 1977 Dayton Daily News interview, Beck said business was good.
“We have many loyal and regular customers. The cafeteria business has never been better. I feel that in the future people will shy away from fast-food type restaurants and turn more and more to the homey, homemade-food type of cafeteria places,” said Beck.
Beck said that anyone could eat a full meal at a cost of less than $4.
“I would say that just a little over $3 would be the average,” he said.
Kuntz’s Cafeteria
Kuntz’s Cafeteria, 1225 Troy St., was started in 1888 and for many years was considered “Dayton’s oldest food service.”
It had started as a drive-in but became a sit down cafeteria, moving to its Troy Street location in the 1920s.
Kuntz’s offered homemade items such as soups, sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad and fruit salad. It offered a blue plate special that had three divided sections.
It was open six days a week until 1963, when it started offering family pan-fried chicken meals on Sundays.
In 1972, the cafeteria was sold to Modern Food System, which also owned Kohler’s Catering.
In the early 1970s, the lower level of the cafeteria had a small German bierstube that featured German-type sandwiches, polish sausage, bratwurst and draft beer.
The building was damaged by a fire in 1976, causing the business to shut down. The building was razed in 1980.
MCL Restaurant and Bakery (open)
MCL Restaurant and Bakery, 4485 Far Hills Ave., offers a good home-cooked variety of foods in an old-school meets new-school cafeteria atmosphere.
It is a destination that offers comfortable surroundings, affordably priced food and quality dishes that have been made from scratch.
The cafeteria line moves fairly quickly, and it’s interactive once you get to the front, where you have your choice of salad, sides, main course, bread, dessert and drink.
The menu rotates, but the path to the register stays the same.
Once you have paid in line, you take your tray to a table — if you need help, someone can carry it for you. There are servers who float throughout the restaurant refilling drinks and can grab anything you may have missed for you.
Founded in 1950 by Charles O. McGaughey and George Laughner (MCL is a combination of their last names), this chain has locations found throughout Indiana with a few in Ohio and Illinois.
Falb’s Restaurant (still around)
Falb’s restaurant, 201 Kiser St., was founded in 1920. It has been owned by the same family for three decades.
The eatery serves up homestyle dishes including chicken and dumplings, cabbage rolls, meatloaf, sloppy joes and polish sausage in a cafeteria-style setting.
Credit: HANDOUT
Credit: HANDOUT
In a 2023 Dayton Daily News interview, Joe Falb, who operated the restaurant with his brother, Dwayne, recalled that his grandfather, Karl, worked for the Barney & Smith Car Company. The grandfather grew frustrated with work there and wanted his own business.
While relaxing on the porch one day, workers at a nearby factory asked him to “fry up a couple of hamburgers” and he did.
Ever since then, Falb’s has been serving food for those on-the-go.
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