Retro images show army of 400 cooks cater for diners at world’s largest restaurant

These retro behind-the-scenes photographs show the engine room behind what was once the world’s largest fast food restaurant. 

The stunning shots, taken in 1952, captured Lyon’s Corner House ‘nippies’ hard at work – and pastry chefs donning their hats and aprons for a day in the kitchen.  

Lyons Corner House, in London’s West End, was a part of the mid-Twentieth century fast food chain Lyons – and the Coventry Street site was at one point the largest eatery in the world. 

Candid photographs show a staff meeting in the art deco dining room before the restaurant opened for the day – with waitresses dressed in characteristic starched caps with a red ‘L’ emblazoned in the centre. 

Other incredible images of the restaurant show waitresses in the staff wash room getting ready for their shift, and pastry chefs perfecting their eclairs.

Each decadent Lyons Corner House occupied several floors of a building, with a shop on the ground floor selling a variety of cakes, sweets, fruit and items from a delicatessen counter. 

A differently themed restaurant existed on each of the four or five floors – and there were even hairdressing salons and telephone booths in the building.   

By the 1960s, however, these traditional tea shops were being eclipsed by fashionable coffee houses, and the Coventry Street restaurant closed its doors in 1977.

Behind-the-scenes photographs show how an army of 400 staff catered for 2,000 diners at the biggest restaurant in the world on London’s West End (Pictured, Lyons waitresses in the art deco dining room before opening)

The photographs, taken in 1952, captured what went on in the kitchen, and show chefs (pictured) busily cooking for thousands of expected diners

The photographs, taken in 1952, captured what went on in the kitchen, and show chefs (pictured) busily cooking for thousands of expected diners

Pastry chefs were also caught on camera rolling dough for desserts (pictured) at the Coventry Street Lyons Corner House - which opened its doors in 1909

Pastry chefs were also caught on camera rolling dough for desserts (pictured) at the Coventry Street Lyons Corner House – which opened its doors in 1909

This huge restaurant employed more than 400 people at its height, and Lyons and Co. had more than 250 tea shops in London alone at one time (Pictured, waitresses in line for the staff canteen)

This huge restaurant employed more than 400 people at its height, and Lyons and Co. had more than 250 tea shops in London alone at one time (Pictured, waitresses in line for the staff canteen)

Lyons Corner Houses were established by Isidore and Montague Glickstein, Barnett Salmon, and namesake Joseph Lyons - who began as a catering supplier in 1885 (Pictured, a pastry chef is instructed on how to pipe cakes)

Lyons Corner Houses were established by Isidore and Montague Glickstein, Barnett Salmon, and namesake Joseph Lyons – who began as a catering supplier in 1885 (Pictured, a pastry chef is instructed on how to pipe cakes)

The Corner Houses occupied several floors of a building, with a shop on the ground floor selling a variety of cakes, fruit, and and sweets (Pictured, waitresses struggle with loaded trays as a supervisor watches on)

The Corner Houses occupied several floors of a building, with a shop on the ground floor selling a variety of cakes, fruit, and and sweets (Pictured, waitresses struggle with loaded trays as a supervisor watches on)

Lyons Corner Houses had a differently themed restaurant on each floor - and there were even hairdressing salons and telephone booths in the building (Pictured, a male waiter adjusting his shirt-front)

Lyons Corner Houses had a differently themed restaurant on each floor – and there were even hairdressing salons and telephone booths in the building (Pictured, a male waiter adjusting his shirt-front)

The giant restaurant chain had 250 tea shops in London at its height and their very first location which opened in 1894 at 213 Piccadilly is still a cafe today (Pictured, a pastry chef fills a piping bag)

The giant restaurant chain had 250 tea shops in London at its height and their very first location which opened in 1894 at 213 Piccadilly is still a cafe today (Pictured, a pastry chef fills a piping bag)

The waitresses were known as 'Nippies',  (above) and each wore a starched cap with a red ‘L’ embroidered in the centre and a black  dress with a double row of pearl buttons

The waitresses were known as ‘Nippies’,  (above) and each wore a starched cap with a red ‘L’ embroidered in the centre and a black dress with a double row of pearl buttons

The Coventry Street store was at one point open 24 hours a day, and offered a food delivery service for a short time (Pictured, kitchen staff fill plates ready for order)

The Coventry Street store was at one point open 24 hours a day, and offered a food delivery service for a short time (Pictured, kitchen staff fill plates ready for order)

Workers congregate outside the J Lyons & Co transport yard in Cadbury Hall in September 1919, looking on at Lyons Bread carts which could deliver baked goods to the public

Workers congregate outside the J Lyons & Co transport yard in Cadbury Hall in September 1919, looking on at Lyons Bread carts which could deliver baked goods to the public

The history of restaurant chain giant Lyons 

Lyons and Co. was established in 1885 by Isidore and Montague Glickstein, Barnett Salmon, and namesake Joseph Lyons.

The fast food giant began as a catering supplier to the Newcastle Exhibition in the same year – but went on to become the largest food company in Europe.

At its height, Lyons and Co. had 250 tea shops in London, and their very first location which opened in 1894 at 213 Piccadilly is still a cafe today.

The largest corner house, on Coventry Street on London’s West End, employed 400 staff and could seat 2,000 people at it’s height. 

This site also had a food delivery service for a short time, and was once open for 24 hours a day.

But the West End Lyons Corner House was far from the only one in Britain – stores on the Strand and Tottenham Court Road also opened in 1909 and remained in place until 1977.



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