"The salad was first crafted by the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria in 1893 and gained in popularity during the Roaring '20s. (Otherwise known as the "Age of Mayonnaise and Gelatin" in the history of salads). This was back when hotel dining in New York City was considered to epitomize class, style, and elegance. Today, while many hotels boast fine restaurants, even professional reviewers occasionally feel the need to caution: "look, it may be in a hotel, but it's not THAT KIND of hotel restaurant," fearing that prospective diners will start to seize up, remembering their last overnight business conference at a motel with a budget breakfast buffet." - Steven Perez from Bookmarklet