Vintage Photos of School Cafeterias That Will Take You Back

If there’s one area in a school that summons fear, terror, excitement, fun, and anxiety all at the same time, it’s the cafeteria. This is a microcosm of society, and may be the most palpable example of social structure that school has.  

Remember the food? Remember the people? Here are 15 great vintage photos of school cafeterias to take you back to the good old days. 

Boy, the cafeteria really was bumping. I don’t think there was ever a point in my life where one of mine was as busy as the one in this photo. 

Ragtag packs of 80s misfits were all over the country. Just look at these jokers right here. 

You generally won’t catch me consuming orange juice past 10 a.m., unless I am writing an orange juice ranking. These kids have to choke down some Minute Maid next to their meatloaf, or whatever. Tough stuff. 

No wonder people are always screaming at each other across the table at lunch in 50s movies. It’s packed like a zoo in there. 

Am I crazy, or is that like, a ton of food? School lunches have definitely changed over the years. In my day, they shoved a chicken sandwich and a tiny cup of shredded lettuce in my face and told me to get lost. This girl has a chocolate milk (!), a sandwich, a full tuna salad, a bowl of soup, a… second bowl of soup, and something else in a bag. And her friend across from her has a big, honkin’ piece of cake. Nobody went hungry this day. 

Apparently, milk was free in the cafeteria and students were allowed to grab as many milks as their tiny little brains desired. My man right here is loading up. 

You love to see the whole squad roll up at once. And is that a choice of four different soups? Are they each going to get a different soup so they can all try them? I need to know these things! 

We seem to be loading in from both sides here at this school in the 1950s. I love that this school was doing this catering-drop style. I bet when the chocolate cakes came out, these kids went absolutely nuts. 

It’s interesting how much like real restaurants these things used to be. Multiple items on real plates feels like true cooking; these plates look like Thanksgiving dinner. 

The most amazing thing about this photo of cafeteria workers in 1952 is not the time-worn equipment, or the vintage outfits, or even the fake nose this woman had to wear for this photo. The most amazing thing about this photo is that there was once a time when you could be friends with somebody who voted for a different president. 

This shot from a Virginia school in the 1940s shows how clean and spacious cafeteria kitchens were once. 

Comfort food every day of the week doesn’t sound too bad. Wouldn’t mind knowing what “meat” was in store for “Spanish rice with meat”, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. And how about those school lunch prices? 

The cafeteria menu in the John Hughes film “Sixteen Candles” is a perfect snapshot of 80s lunchtime. Free vitamin cobbler, nice! 

You thought cafeterias were romance free? Think again. This guy looks like he could be Richard Kind’s grandfather. 

Nothing like the stark black and white linoleum floor of a cafeteria or high school hallway to make you feel like you’re in an insane asylum. You know you can already hear the sound of your sneakers scuffling along across that thing.