What's Your Mall Must-Have Snack?
Remember spending afternoons at the mall even when you didn't have the money to buy anything more than a soft pretzel? Today, our shopping endeavors are increasingly done online, but the mall used to be a social gathering place, centered around the food court. It doesn't matter which side of the country you grew up in; the corn dog kiosks, ice cream stands, and Asian stir fry restaurants at your local mall were exactly the same. The aroma of Cinnabon mingling with that new clothes smell united mall-goers from Texas to Wisconsin. Here are 20 foods that we will forever associate with the mall.
1. Orange Julius
Nothing kickstarts our nostalgia quite like the sight of an Orange Julius stand. The frothy, creamy, and fruity orange drink is so synonymous with malls, we're not even sure it exists outside of that environment.
2. Dippin' Dots
When Dippin' Dots first came out, they seemed like a futuristic revelation that would transform ice cream as we know it. In reality, however, it just became a novelty mall food.
3. Cinnabon
Whether or not you ever ate one of their cinnamon buns is irrelevant to the dose of nostalgia Cinnabon delivers. You can't escape that distinctive Cinnabon scent pervading almost any mall.
4. Mrs. Fields Cookies
Mrs. Fields Cookies started in the 1970s as a small cookie shop in California. It quickly grew into a formidable cookie empire and beloved staple in malls across the country, the freshly baked cookie scent filling us with childhood memories every time.
5. Wetzel's Pretzels
Where in the world would you find yourself eating a soft pretzel outside of malls in America? The warm, doughy comfort food is the perfect mall indulgence.
XWRN from Portland, OR, USA on Wikimedia
6. Sbarro Pizza
When you pick up a slice at Sbarro, you're not just getting pizza, you're getting mall pizza. The slices are gigantic, greasy, and incredibly American.
7. Panda Express Orange Chicken
Although Panda Express exists all over the world and not just in malls, we'll always associate it with our local shopping centre. It's particularly the sweet, tangy, and savory orange chicken that takes us back to the mall food court.
8. Jamba Juice
Jamba Juice emerged as a slightly healthier alternative to all the other mall food options. Although it's made from fruit, it still packs a punch of sugar, administering the perfect pick-me-up when you're all shopped out.
9. Baja Blast
Baja Blast is a lime-flavored soft drink that used to be exclusive to Taco Bell. Although Taco Bell is everywhere, nowhere was it more common to see people sipping Baja Blasts than at the mall.
10. Sarku Japan Teriyaki Plates
Nothing slaps like a teriyaki plate from Sarku Japan after a long afternoon changing in and out of clothes and waiting in cash lines. We'll never forget walking circles around the mall just to nonchalantly snag more free samples from them.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia
11. Auntie Anne's Pretzels
A fierce competitor to Wetzel's, we're not sure which company dominated the mall soft pretzel scene more. Did we really need two different companies doing exactly the same thing? Not really, but we're grateful to have both options.
Phillip Pessar from Miami, USA on Wikimedia
12. Hot Dog On A Stick
Hot Dog On A Stick corn dogs were another mall staple food that we would never seek out, but are always inviting when we see the kiosk adorning a mall corridor. The crispy, deep-fried, golden food, often accompanied by freshly squeezed lemonade, always made our mall trips a little more endurable.
13. Johnny Rockets Original Burger
Johnny Rockets is where you go when you want a real sit-down meal without leaving the mall. The retro Americana diner theme always gives us a hit of nostalgia, and the original burger is oh so satisfying, especially with a milkshake alongside.
14. FroYo
Frozen yogurt skyrocketed in popularity during the health craze of the 1980s, with chains like TCBY expanding into the mall food court scene. Now, chains like Menchie's and Pinkberry are ubiquitous in mall food courts.
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt on Wikimedia
15. Charleys Philly Steaks
Charleys Philly Steaks is the ultimate mall franchise. It aggressively expanded into food courts across the nation in the 90s, offering the perfect, greasy impulse buy.
16. Sweet Factory Bulk Candy
Those piles upon piles of colorful candies at Sweet Factory were the stuff of our dreams when we were kids. Whenever we were permitted entry, our eyes would be way too big for our stomachs, and those paper bags would end up weighing a ton when we finished our rounds.
17. Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream
Baskin-Robbins certainly exists outside of shopping centers, but that doesn't change its heavy association with mall food courts. The company was a pioneer in ice cream franchising, and for many, a trip to the mall wasn't complete without a cone from Baskin-Robbins.
18. Bubble Tea
Now, bubble tea is everywhere, but back in the day, it was more of a mall staple than anything. The boba phenomenon in the US practically began with mall kiosks.
19. Asian Stir-Fries
The tantalizing aroma of Asian stir-fries is often the most overpowering scent at mall food courts. The stir fry became the quintessential mall food because of its efficiency to prepare, cheap ingredients, and perceived healthiness.
20. Subway Sandwiches
Everyone loves sandwiches. That's why Subway was able to so rapidly expand into almost every mall food court around the country, filling our noses with that extremely specific Subway scent as we leaf through the clothing offerings at various stores.
