Beer Coaster — Restaurace a jídelny (RaJ) State Catering Enterprise

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

Beer Coaster — "Restaurace a jídelny" (RaJ) State Catering Enterprise

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.324

Description

Round pressed wood-pulp coaster, printed on the shown face within a thin ring border. The central image is a tall glass of beer with a foamy head, in blue/teal and yellow. A navy arc across the top reads "RESTAURACE A JÍDELNY"; a matching arc across the bottom reads "PŘEJEME VÁM DOBROU CHUŤ."

Use

Brough from Czechoslovakia by Leopoldo Arús Caraballo. Used by his father at home.

Context

Czechoslovak state-catering ephemera. "Restaurace a jídelny" (RaJ) was the national-enterprise system that operated most of the country's restaurants, pubs, buffets, and canteens, organized at district level by the local national committees, until 1989. This is a general beer/refreshment advertising coaster carrying the enterprise's "bon appétit" slogan.

Collection

The Cabrera Arús family collection, Leopoldo Arús Gálvez collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Restaurace a Jídelny

Place

Country

Czechoslovakia

Region

Eastern Europe

Continent

Europe

Notes

Issuer: Restaurace a jídelny (RaJ), Czechoslovakia. Printer/designer not identified. Date: circa 1950s–1970s (tentative); consistent with the RaJ system and mid-century graphic style; no printed date.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Transcription

RESTAURACE A JÍDELNY/TĚŠÍME SE NA SHLEDANOU

Language

Czech

Translation

Restaurants and dining rooms/We look forward to seeing you

Notes

Printed (Czech; English in brackets): "RESTAURACE A JÍDELNY" [Restaurants and Canteens]; "PŘEJEME VÁM DOBROU CHUŤ" [We wish you bon appétit].

Dimensions

Diameter

10.5 cm

Materials

Material

Cardboard

Material Notes

Pressed/molded wood-pulp board (beer-mat board); printing ink (navy/teal, yellow).

Condition

Overall Condition

Poor

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Leopoldo Arús Gálvez, Leopoldo Arús Caraballo

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

Country

Czechoslovakia

Region

Eastern Europe

Continent

Europe

Notes

production, acquisition

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

use

Web Links and URLs

https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurace_a_j%C3%ADdelny, https://retro-jidlo.webnode.cz/restaurace-a-jidelny/, Czech Coaster Collection

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

March 31, 2022

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 18, 2026