Waitron

[dumasb]

Jane Parker wrote:
>When I lived in Minneapolis MN in the mid-'80 the term waitron was
>commonly used
>instead of waiter/waitress in the want ads and by the waitrons themselves.
>People laughed at me (even some linguistic professors) when I went
>to gradschool
>in IN.  I have not seen or heard it used since.  Is anyone else familiar with
>this term?    I think is was sort of a gender neutral combo of waitress and
>automaton.

I am sure I heard it approximately twice ... in the mid-to-late 70s.

Bethany