Brass Rail snack bars
While many of the pavilions had restaurants or snack bars, the main food vendor at the Fair was Brass Rail, which operated several different types of food service venues. The majority of them were fast food counters serving items like hamburgers and hot dogs. While the fare was rather routine, the snack bars are often remembered even today due to their unusual design. The roofs consisted of several tiers of large balloons, which made them easily visible from just about anywhere at the Fair.
In this view from the observation tower at the New York State Pavilion, three Brass Rails can be seen along the Avenue of the United Nations. (CD #8 Set 40 #14)
A closer view of the unique roof, with one of the Fair's colorful luminaire streetlights in the foreground. (CD #7 Set 31 #5)
Ever wonder what the Brass Rails looked like under those balloon roofs? Here's a rare view of one of the counter areas without the roof in place. The roof had been destroyed in a fire and was awaiting replacement. (CD #22 Set 116 #19)