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Anyone who traveled the Pennsylvania Turnpike long ago probably recalls the 11 original HoJo service plazas.


Anyone who traveled the Pennsylvania Turnpike long ago probably recalls the 11 original HoJo service plazas.  I loved the ice cream choices and the all-you-could-eat fried clams. They operated from 1940 to the mid-eighties.
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  1. Mike MartinJanuary 29, 2015 at 5:09 AM

    Oh Yeah! Loved the fried clams and I think they sold them frozen in boxes, too. Oh, yeah, again to the ice cream. The only thing I didn't care for was their "Ho Jo Cola."

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  2. Will GJanuary 29, 2015 at 5:28 AM

    had a few down south

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  3. Tony KruseJanuary 29, 2015 at 5:52 AM

    This puts my memory in a time warp.  I didn't know till recently that Jacques Pépin worked for HJ in the 1960's.

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  4. Ann KennedyJanuary 29, 2015 at 6:07 AM

    Tony Kruse Yes, everybody's gotta start somewhere:-)

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  5. Margaret Siemers (Siemers Rafter Room)January 29, 2015 at 8:54 AM

    I also remember that Mad Magazine (Alfred E. Newman) did a spread on "Johnsons-Howard" with zombie like travelers repeating the name over and over again as they clawed their way to the "Familiar Roof".  It was funny to me because every time we went to visit relatives via the Turnpike my father had to, HAD TO stop for the fried clams. lol

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  6. MadgesHatbox VintageJanuary 29, 2015 at 9:40 AM

    Oh my.  Their fried clams.   Funny story.  A Howard Johnson's hotel and restaurant opened up a location in my home town of Wichita Kansas in the mid 60s.  The town went nuts.  There were lines out the door for the restaurant.  Being landlocked all we had back then was catfish or trout. HoJos had fried shrimp and those amazing clams.  I loved the food, the restaurant colors.  How many ice cream flavors did they have?  51?  Only thing wrong was their cola.  Was it HiHo?  Tasted awful.

    Mad Men had a pivotal scene a few seasons back in a HoJos restaurant.  Don't know if they found one or recreated it.  It was so accurate.

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  7. Ann KennedyJanuary 29, 2015 at 2:36 PM

    Madges Hatbox Great story!  They were known for their 28 flavors, but I'm not sure how many they had by the 1960s. You are right that the cola was bad news.  I missed that Mad Men episode so now I just have to see it!

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  8. Charlotte IssyvooFebruary 1, 2015 at 11:40 PM

    I remember them. My hippie mother didn't like them, but my grandparents and their friends did so I got to go sometimes.

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