By the 1930s, cars were commonplace in America and roadside restaurants catered to families on the move.
The Gateway was a huge restaurant chain – it had restaurants in 31 states, from Alabama to Wisconsin.
Adults who stopped by the Gateway restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, less than two miles from Harvard, were served fried clams, chicken and lobster dinners and home-made ice cream.
Children were also offered an astonishing variety of nutritious dishes, from Grade A chocolate milk for 10 cents on the a la carte menu to two or three-course meals ‘for the little man or little lady’ for less than a dollar.
Helping them to choose something to eat were the beloved cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and his longtime sweetheart Minnie - created by the Walt Disney company in 1928.
This 1930s children’s menu was a co-promotion with The Gateway and the Mickey Mouse magazine. ‘Try it for a good laugh after dinner,’ the menu advised its young customers.
Two promotional giveaways of the Mickey Mouse magazine were published from 1933 to 1935 in the United States, delighting children everywhere. Those publications evolved into a fully formed comic book series that ran until 1940. After that date, the magazine was re-branded as Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories.
The Gateway restaurant in Cambridge was eventually demolished.