Millions of Americans—now mostly senior citizens—have a deep nostalgia for the restaurant chain with the orange roof and iconic menu items that was once the largest restaurant chain in the U.S. with over a thousand restaurants.
But why in the world would they want to remember those days with a bar of soap shaped and colored to look like a plate of fried clam strips with a lemon wedge?
Only the advertising geniuses at Wyndham hotels, owner of the Howard Johnson brand of hotels—the restaurants closed many years ago—can answer that, and even they are hedging bets.
On the one hand, they’ve told press that “Howard Johnson is a brand woven into America’s cultural fabric and beloved by millions for generations. As we celebrate 100 years, our limited-edition fried clam soap is a fun, nostalgic tribute to the brand’s storied past and a playful nod to the retro-modern, family-friendly spirit that continues defining our hotels today.”
On the other, they’ve limited distribution to five of their hotels, where guests can claim a soap by whispering the magic words “Fried Clams” to the desk clerk. As for the rest of the public, they’re offering a hundred—that’s right, 100—soaps to the general public online starting at noon on October 3. And, they’re charging $19.25 each.
Oh, you’re wondering what fried clam soap would smell like, aren’t you? The official answer is “Designed to look just like the crispy classics that helped put HoJo on the map, these limited-edition soaps are anything but fishy, thanks to infusions of lemon, sea salt and yes, just a hint of butter—an homage to the butter soaked rolls the strips were once served with.”
