The Vintage Fast Food Memorabilia That Are Now Considered Fiery Collectibles

In the world of collectibles, you can pretty much find a market or interest for just about everything. I came to this realization early in life; every summer, my family and I would visit the Del Mar Fair in Southern California (it's now called the San Diego County Fair). I would always look forward to seeing the hobby collections that people would enter competitively. There were dozens and dozens of displays of things like baseball cards, movie memorabilia, dolls, thimbles, salt and pepper shakers, and toys from shady McDonald's Happy Meals (the ones that didn't cause recalls which affected millions). But, as it turns out, people don't just collect vintage toys from fast food joints; many people are now seeking out the old matchbooks that these restaurants would pass out for free to their guests.

It seems like advertising your business on matchbooks used to be as natural and non-negotiable as setting up a Google Business Profile or Instagram business page today. Whether you were leaving a mechanic shop, hotel, or indeed a fast food restaurant, there was a tray full of cardboard matchbooks, bearing the business' logo and phone number, free for the taking. Sometimes, they ended up in the family junk drawer back at home or in the glove box of your parent's sedan. They were occasionally used to light a candle or cigarette, (they may have even lit fancy food on fire) or they were forgotten forever. It didn't matter, they were free, after all. Today, many collectors are willing to pay for these souvenirs that used to be a dime a dozen. A recent eBay search showed me that you could purchase a 1979 Wendy's matchbook for $7.20, one from Pizza Hut for $17.99, and one from McDonalds, circa 1970s, for $29, among many others priced lower and even much higher at the time of this writing. 

The first known matchbook that was created for promotional purposes was made in the 1890s, for a traveling opera company advertising a show. By the 1940s and 50s, customizing books of matches for business purposes reached its peak, but of course, the fad lasted well into the late 20th century. It's not at all surprising that the practice involved fast food also, considering that these family-friendly places used to also have ashtrays at their tables. Right about the time that restaurants and diners began removing their cigarette vending machines, (remember those?) fast food matchbooks slowly began disappearing, too. The rise of disposable lighters and a growing awareness about the effects of smoking cigarettes largely made matchbooks obsolete.

While you're likely not going to find free matches at fast food restaurants anymore, the practice of creating them for businesses is experiencing a rejuvenation, of sorts. Plenty of lounges, restaurants, bars, and social clubs are spending plenty of advertising money on matchbooks for customers to take home with them. Often depicted in pretty colors and eye-catching art, they are a far cry from what Burger King or Kentucky Fried Chicken used to give out back in the day. Of course, it's hard to put a price on nostalgia, sometimes, which is why these vintage, food-centric matchbooks are catching the eyes of collectors today.