Over 1,000 Pomona College students swarmed Frary dining hall on the evening of Friday, March 1, to celebrate the one-time return of Frary Snack, a decades-long pre-pandemic Pomona tradition that is now defunct.
Frary Snack was historically held every Sunday through Wednesday from 10-11 p.m. Friday’s Snack marked the first recurrence of the beloved tradition since it was discontinued in March 2020. The event was held from 9:30-11 p.m. and was restricted to only Pomona students.
A breakfast menu was specially curated for the evening featuring Belgian waffles, cinnamon roll pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon and overnight chia oats. The themed menu was a new spin for the Snack’s revival.
All four Pomona class presidents and Pomona’s dining hall staff were credited with organizing the event. Frary dining hall was at full capacity by 10 p.m., leaving many students standing by for a seat or even waiting in the back lobby.
Junior class president Vidusshi Hingad PO ’25 was shocked by the turnout.
“Normally Snack served about 150 people, so the dining hall staff prepared enough food for 200 people,” Hingad said. “Little did we know, 30 minutes in, more than 500 people showed up. Overall, we had more than 1000 people come to the event. The turnout far exceeded expectations.”
Sierra Tai-Brownlee PO ’24 was especially impressed with the food options, noting that she came in expecting Frary’s traditional breakfast menu.
“The food choices were unique with options never before seen at the dining hall,” Tai-Brownlee said. “I was a big fan of that. The fruit platter with grapes was also amazing.”
The event began with students serving themselves buffet-style and was followed by a few short remarks by the class presidents thanking the dining hall staff.
At 10:15 p.m., 5C a cappella groups Midnight Echo and Mood Swing performed onstage underneath José Clemente Orozco’s iconic Prometheus painting. Mood Swing began the short concert with “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap and “We Find Love” by Daniel Caesar, followed by Midnight Echo’s renditions of “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone and “Never Be Like You” by Flume.
In planning the event, Hingad said the class presidents wanted to remain as true to Snack’s original memory as possible.
“Frary Snack was more than just a meal — it was an inclusive social habitat. Imagine a bustling hub where students of all years mingled, a cappella groups serenaded and laughter filled the air,” Hingad said. “It was a place for both study sessions and spontaneous gatherings, a true melting pot of Pomona’s vibrant community. Pomona, from what I can tell, can get quite lonely. This was a perfect break from that loneliness.”
Despite the discontinuation of Frary Snack, the tradition has been somewhat maintained by the Coop Fountain following the pandemic, which typically serves snacks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. However, according to Louis Burns PO ’24, it doesn’t come close to attaining the communal feeling that Frary Snack had.
“I enjoy a good Coop Snack, but I usually just walk in, grab the snack, then leave,” Burns said. “I think that Frary Snack really brought the community together, which was cool to see.”
Students used to post daily Snack offerings on dedicated Twitter and Facebook pages titled ‘What’s at Snack?’ but such activity has dwindled in recent years.
For graduating seniors like Tai-Brownlee and Sabrina Gleitz PO ’24, the event was rather melancholy.
“I’m happy it was held, but it’s a little bittersweet that it took so long for someone to take the initiative to bring back such a popular and well-loved tradition,” Gleitz said. “This was my first, and likely last, Frary Snack.”
Tai-Brownlee shared similar feelings, hinting at the possibility of the iconic snack making a second return before the 2023-2024 school year wraps up.
“I wish the event was revived earlier and I hope they hold it once again before graduation,” Tai-Brownlee said.
Hingad is hopeful that Frary Snack can become a regular occurrence and may eventually include unique themes like ‘street food from around the world.
“The future is an open book,” Hingad said. “While specifics are yet to be decided, I’m eager to continue collaborating with the dining staff and exploring new ways to strengthen our bond. Food is a universal language, and I believe it could add an exciting twist to our Sagehens’ palates.”
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