Post #546958 by Tom Slick on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 8:22 PM

It has "souvenir menu" printed on it, but I'm sure it is related to a hospitality gimmick. It is really in the style of a "take-out" menu, although the food offered is for full sitdown meals, and has 6 pages. They probably made this menu for different reasons, is my guess.

One could be for the simple reason that the owners didn't want people leaving the restaurant with a full sized restaurant menu, and by offering a small paper menu, could detur theft.

Two, it serves as a hospitality piece, saying you've been there, almost like a free bumper sticker. These could have been located inside the fish market section and souvenir shop, to showcase the restaurant's specialties and featured items.

Three, it also served as advertising when it is left at someones house, and someone else who's never been to Sam's, stumbles upon it. It potentially opens conversation about how the place was, and probably worked as a possible paper referral.

All of these are speculation on my part, but are the only things that really make any sense. The menu is old and original, not a reproduction. I've sold a few 1940s-1950's menus, and everything this menu has, seems genuine. Aside from the fact if it were a reproduction, I would have seen more in the wild. This is the first and only one I've seen in 4+ years keeping Sam's Seafood on reminder notice on ebay.
Thanks for the questions, and hope it helped!