During your summer vacation, I request that, on at least one day, you stop in at a Howard Johnsons for a sit-down lunch that includes fried clams and onion rings.

Pistachio ice cream in a sugar cone at the counter for desert is optional.

Does HoJo still exist?
There was one in my town when I was a kid. I remember the fried clams fondly.
Haven't seen a HoJo in what seems like 15 years.
Are they still that garish orange and baby blue color combo?

Instead of a Pistachio ice cream cone , would a chocolate sundae be OK?

In March we stayed at the HoJo in Ft Lauderdale and ate at the restaurant--dug on the ice cream counter.
So much sweet sweet grizzled surliness. Ordering the standard breakfast, I said to Broom Hilda the waitress, "scrambled, bacon, sourdough". When I got to the sourdough part, she just looked at me like I was from Mars, she couldn't figure out what I was talking about. It's so embarrassing when yr snooty hifalutin' L.A. ways show through. Geez.

love
roxy

Ahhhh yes! I can ALMOST remember it, being a mere BABY in the late 60's

I vaguely remember the clam ROLL, the piece of bread pretending to be a roll, imprisoning the little critters. (eeeyuck, did i really like that?!)

What i VIVIDLY remember -- near the cash register was a row of colorful, small plush animals for sale at $1 each, that i simply had to have each and every time. And that was most days on our cross-country trips in the ole station wagon. Seems like most of MY souvenir allowance was left at Ho Jo's too!

For anyone who grew up somewhere along the East Coast of the U.S. during the past 30 years or so, Howard Johnsons brings back many fond memories.

Ah... Howard Johnsons

Ice cream in 28 flavors,

Food with none.

Remember the commotion about the subliminal picture of an orgy in the illustration of the fried clam dinner on the menu?

RB, I was too young at the time to recognize and appreciate the more adult allures of eating at Howard Johnsons.

My pleasures were straightforward and explicit for all the free world to see: a blazing hot pile of steaming clams, fries on the side, and ice cream that was so cold it was almost crisp coming out of the cone.

I seem to recall something interesting about the place mats... something to occupy me while I waited for my order to arrive. I forget exactly what it was.

Oh, man, my sister and I simply adored the HoJO fried clams!!!! We sneaked each others when we werent looking. With catsup, yummmmm. I loved that funny little boy with the apron on they had on their roof or outside the door on the lawn.

Ah..the sweet memory of HoJo's on Route 22 in Jersey! I loved those clam rolls as a kid! When visiting the East Coast as an adult I thought I'd once again savor the clam roll. Much to my surprise..rubber bands dipped in batter and fried was what appeared! I grew up in a very large family and recall the entire family going to HoJo's for dinner on "all you can eat" nights.Thanks for the memory,BB!

The alleged orgy was made public maybe in the late 70's, early 80's, but I think the story was BS. But then I can never see anything in those "magic puzzles" either.

Our family went to FL from NY once or twice a year, not really as a vacation, but to see grandparents. We stopped at grocery stores, ate in rest areas, with a minimum of any kind of restaurant or motel stops. I remember seeing all those Howard Johnson Restaurants, and the hotels with their unique lobby buildings ... but the only time we stopped was when the reststops on the NJTP were HoJos. Felt lucky to buy HoJo Chewing gum, and once got a HoJo Cola ("the only cola served at Howard Johnsons").

Later, after Navy enlistment I lived in East Greenbush NY, where HoJo had both one of their newer restaurants, called Howard Johnson New Edition, if I recall correctly, AND one of the older HoJo building styles left -- both within about 3 miles. I recall the food was really pretty good, and I especially liked the "o-rings" -- so I should apologize for my earlier wisecrack about food taste.

I miss the old "Orange & Blue"

Anyone remember "Howard Johnson" in the Mel Brooks movie, "Blazing Saddles"? -- "One Flavor"

Mmmm good, those fried clams and tartar sauce. Try them as an adult though, if you can still find a HoJo. Either I've changed or they have.

I believe you are having a Senior Moment YesItIs. Shoney's Big Boy had the aproned boy. HoJo just had the orange roof.

HoJo's did have some figures on the roof - I think it was simple Simon and the pieman? I remember as a kid in NJ going for a Sunday drive with the family and stopping at Howard Johnsons for an ice cream cone, or if it was really special, an ice cream soda!

BB, why only the last 30 years? The last 70 were even better.

I have not existed long enough to enjoy the complete life cycle of that corporate entity and taste of the Atlantic known as Howard Johnsons.

Ohhhh yessss Shoneys Big Boy!
When I was allowed to ride in cars with boys, we would go to Shoneys in Charlotte NC and eat those big triple decker hamburgers and french fries.
That was before they invented cholesterol and all the bad stuff they have now

Whatever happened to Stuckey's? Are they still around? I remember them as a kid going down to Florida.

I think Yesitis might be thinking of that planter peanut wearing the tophat and holding toto.

I worked in a HoJo's during college in the mid 70's. The first week I tried each of the 28 flavors. That's probably why I seldom eat ice cream now!

My boyfriend (now DH of 28 years) LOVED the all you could eat fish fry nights!

I don't think there are any HoJo's left around here...

I also worked one summer during college at HoJo's during the late 70's. It was my only waitressing job ever - I was a horrible waitress and I hated it. Worked the graveyard shift which made it worse.

But we always loved going as customers growing up!