The Vanishing of America's Drive-Thru Fotomats

Before the advent of digital photography, everyone captured their memories on film, and film needs to be processed. In the 1960's, small drive-thru stands began popping up on roadsides and parking lots across the United States to provide photofinishing service in a fast and convenient manner. Here, you could drop off film for development and pick up your glossy photos the very next day. What started as 1 store in 1965, bloomed to almost four thousand of these golden roofs across America by 1980. Shortly after though, it would all fall apart in spectacular fashion. Today we embark on a trip back in time to investigate what exactly happened to Fotomat.

00:00 Prologue
00:48 The Rise of Fotomat
07:11 The Fall of Fotomat
13:49 Fotomat Video Rental
15:20 Fotomat Closures
18:26 The Fotomat Fugitive
23:18 Conclusion

[luce]

Another EX Fotomat employee here! Worked there when I was in college. The yellow roofs were not attached to the blue base; the roof just sat atop. A lady in a camper pulled up to the store and ripped the entire roof off! Broke all the windows and I was covered in glass. She apologized for the mess and took off. Was robbed a couple of times also but most of my customers paid by check so not much cash. Your presentation was spot on and your facts are accurate. Thanks for the memories!

[dorkultra]

There was a fotomat nearby in town that my parents used all the time in the 80s. In the mid 90s it turned into a locksmith. In the early 2000's it became a coffee hut and then briefly sold shaved ice. Today it's a drive through gyro and chili dog hut. It's fascinating to see the transformation and I'm happy that it continues to live on

[christopherstyle]

What a nice walk down memory lane for us older people. I remember the Fotomat stores and the "photo processing technology" evolution from 1 week to 1 day to 1 hour. I still know of several former Fotomat locations that are now, of all things, ATM kiosk locations in the middle of parking lots.

[bonnienoecker]

OMG....so many memories here! I worked at a shopping center with a Fotomat and had the employees use our restroom. In fact one of those employees became my best friend! She loved her job and was devastated when her location closed. Brayden.... another compelling video. Thanks.

[chickensmack]

I was a Fotomate in the mid-80's. When the first 1-hour Fox Photo opened a few blocks away, we all knew our days were numbered. As the business dwindled, I thought myself to juggle, sitting in the booth, every day.

[RedStarGOSJ]

I worked for Fotomat in 1982 till 1983. I remember at orientation they told us to go through ALL developed photos before customers picked them up to ensure quality. I saw tons of drunk, nude pics, but most were pretty boring. Sitting in those boxes in the middle of parking lots was tiresome. Great video. I had forgotten Fotomat.

[tristenrider]

I've been following Mickey Views for a long time and just want to note how impressive Brayden's content has gotten. As a narrator his speech has become crystal clear and enticing, his visuals and transitions flow perfectly, and the entire direction and organization of ideas is presented well. Inspiring to see a kid (seemingly) teach himself all of these skills and produce such quality as an adult.

[leeluzadder]

I grew up with Fotomat. My grandfather turned one into his on locksmith shop at the local mall in Indiana. I never knew the history of Fotomat until tonight. Thank you for this great documentary! Well done! ❤️

[angelsinger]

I am old enough to remember these, and when I was a kid I loved the days when my mom would take us on what she called “car errands, ” because she never actually had to leave the car! We’d hit the Fotomat, go to the bank and use the super-cool pneumatic tube system, go through the car wash, and end with hitting the McDonald’s drive-thru to grab dinner. Thanks for the dose of nostalgia! Liked & subbed.

[yettykitty]

Takes me back to simpler & happier times in life. Fantastic documentary! Well done Brayden!!

[MrPGC]

My very-first job as a teenager was working in a Fotomat over 40 years ago... I worked at 2 of them, one in Sunnyvale, which was closer, and one in Mt. View, which though farther, wasn't as busy & was therefore easier for me to cope with.

[mdiz]

Great show! I worked in a Fotomat back in 1985. Not the kiosk kind, but a small store, carved out of another store in Brooklyn, NY. We didn't even have our own bathroom. I had to lock the door and go through a back door that led into the host store to use a bathroom. Fun times! My wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) worked in the host store.

[chadweirick]

Wow i used to think you're just that kid who does some Disney stuff ....but i was wrong...you are a true professional who is a spectacular storyteller and filmmaker congratulations on this amazing series!

[bobgargiulo]

Man, the production value of everything Brayden touches is OUTSTANDING! I predict we will be seeing his research and production talents far beyond YouTube in the future!!!

[tjanderson]

I went to and used Fotomat all the time. I still have tons of pictures and negatives in the envelope package they came in. What an interesting episode you created. Well done! I’d love to be able to text message a bunch of pictures to Foromat and go pickup the pictures. I haven’t seen a printed, new picture of anything in years. I miss that a lot.

[KevinThurman]

This made a subject I never would have cared about seem interesting. Beyond entertainment, the content was so clearly structured and perfectly paced that I could parrot the story to another. That is the mark of a leader owning his content. Bravo 👏🏼

[LindaKey]

My dear Brayden, you have done it again...an excellent piece of documentary about the little Fotomats in the 60s to the 80s. I didn't know these existed and you really opened my eyes to them and how quickly they launched, became famous and then fell. I also love how you really did your research and showed us what these little huts looked like as well as the founder and his criminal background into what had happened.

I am looking forward to your next one in the future Brayden as I love these informative documentaries that really opened my eyes. I actually learned about how the 1-hour photo labs were created and how they really expanded quickly. I also love how you talk slowly, clearly, and informative without sounding too complex as you talked to us in plain English as well as not straying off the path. Thank you again for a very interesting, informative Documentary and please Brayden, don't stop doing what you are doing!

[kellydooling]

wow! i have to say, this documentary, as well as your first one, is extraordinarily well done. the information is well thought out, researched, and presented. it’s interesting and engaging, taking a seemingly mundane topic and digging deep into the true story. i am impressed and hope to see much more from this channel. congrats, brayden!

[weareeverywhere]

Do I feel REALLY OLD now, when he said "even though I wasn't ever personally alive to see a Photomat"! LOL!!!! I used to go to the one in Denton, the FOX PHOTO (like the one in BTTF), with my Mom and Dad to get our photos developed. And YES, he hits the nail RIGHT ON THE HEAD, when he said it was an exciting thing to open up that photo envelop and take those newly developed photos out and see all of your COOL memories, RIGHT THERE!

[downtonviewer]

Whew! I hadn't thought of Fotomat in a loooong time. My sister worked in one for a few weeks back in the day. That footage of the stewardess lighting a man's cigarette! wow. I am old enough to remember when there were smoking sections in planes, on the city bus and at _hospitals_ ! This was really a trip down memory lane...and an interesting story, too.