This was long before Apple Pay or the credit card era. Cash was the only form of payment. The grim alternative was washing dishes. He had to call his wife to bring him some money and bail him out of his embarrassment.
The most influential restaurant in New York is not known for its food. It is an establishment with a name that lives long in the memory of finance. Major’s Cabin Grill was located in the heart of Manhattan in 1949. One day, Frank McNamara, a middling businessman, enjoyed a steak lunch there with his friends.
When the waiter brought the bill for US$8 (about US$102 or $137 in today’s money), McNamara was horrified to find that he had left his wallet at home.
