Princetonians Eat Johnson's "Home Food"

Princeton men who don't like the food in Commons can get even by boycotting Howard Johnson's roadside restaurants of 28 flavor fame. They have been eating his meals at the College's main dining halls since 1943.

At Princeton, Howard Johnson's is serving in an unfamiliar Gothic environment without its orange roof, and with only six of its 28 flavors. There is no choice for Princetonians between a "Hot Roast Vermont Turkey Sandwich" and "Delicious Fried Clams." Instead of a waitress beaming down with a menu, a fellow student loads the table with platters of institutionalized cooking.

But despite the fact Princeton men are eating an ersatz Howard Johnson's at Commons, they generally fare better than their Harvard brethren. For fifty cents less per term, the Tigers eat family style off plastic plates, not navy trays. The food is rushed out directly from the kitchen, and is usually at least at room temperature.

Commons' Cooking Homey

Common's menus are on the same repetitious week to week cycle that Harvard menus are, but Princeton is feeding only 1650 freshmen and sophomores from its kitchen. This puts Commons cooking on a more homey basis than the Harvard central kitchen which serves to over 3,000 students.

As compared with Harvard's "all you can eat" policy, Princeton offers milk only twice a day and does not allow seconds on meat. But Princetonians who feel they are being starved into submission frequently bluff their way into two different dining halls during a meal-a practice which both University and Howard Johnson's ignore. Unlike the name checking system at Harvard, a Commons identification card is used at Princeton.

Tigers Bang on Plates

If the food is late or if the Tigers win a football game the immates start banging on their plates chanting for a waiter or counting out a score.

Commons has no restriction on dress. Women are also admitted to all the meals, though few Princeton dates have ever been known to make breakfast which is served from seven to eight. In fact most Princeton finesse this meal.

Though Princeton students claim that "Howard Johnson's was never like this at home," the administration is quite satisfied with the set up. Johnson's can run the dining halls at less cost to students than Princeton could, and the "family style" serving enables over 240 students to earn full board as waiters and bussboys.