Clifton’s Cafeteria at Olive and 6th, downtown LA. In 1931 Clifton’s opened the first of what eventually became a chain of restaurants. Note the sign on the left–“Pay What You Wish.” Opening as they did at the height of the Depression, it was Clifton’s policy never to turn someone away because they couldn’t pay. They understood that people needed to hang on to their dignity and humanity and even if they had just a couple of pennies in their pocket, they weren’t coming to Clifton’s begging for a free handout.