Waiters Race Returns to Palmer Square Next Month

waiters race princeton 2The 6th annual Princeton Waiters’ Race will kick off at 4 p.m. on July 14 on Palmer Square.

Hosted by the Princeton Merchants Association, the event is a celebration of the servers and staff who take care of more than 60,000 guests a week in Princeton.  Waiters and waitresses from Princeton restaurants will race while balancing two full glasses of water and a full BAI beverage bottle on trays. The winners will take home cash, prizes and bragging rights.

Seventy waiters from 15 Princeton eateries participated in 2015. Participating restaurants last year included: Agricola, the Alchemist & Barrister, the Blue Point Grill, Cross Culture, Eno Terra, the Ivy Inn, Jammin’ Crepes, Main Street Bistro, McCaffrey’s, Mediterra, Princeton Soup & Sandwich, Teresa Caffe, Tiger Noodles, the Witherspoon Grill and the Yankee Doodle Tap Room.

The fastest male and female racers who don’t spill their drinks will take home $350, a weekend overnight stay at the Nassau Inn, a bottle of champagne, a cooler, gift cards to local restaurants, and other prizes.

Second-place winners will receive $200, a bottle of champagne, a cooler, gift cards to local restaurants, and other prizes.

Third-place winners will receive $100, a bottle of champagne, a cooler, gift cards to local restaurants, and other prizes.

“Each year our field of competitors grows as does the popularity and attendance of this event,” said John Marshall, president of the Princeton Merchants Association. “Competitors will once again feel the pain of Heartbreak Hill, leg three of the Square course through which only the best go on to finish.”

The two-time men’s champion — the Yankee Doodle Tap Room’s John Ryan, will try to reclaim the men’s crown.

The fee is $20. Six participants are allowed to register from each local restaurant. All participants will receive a race day t-shirt and goodie bag.

Race sponsors this year include: BAI Beverage, Joycards, the MacLean Agency, McCaffrey’s, Nassau Inn, Palmer Square Management, Terra Momo Restaurant Group and the JM Group. Other Sponsors include: Agricola, Alchemist & Barrister, the Arts Council of Princeton, The Bent Spoon, Chez Alice, D’ Angelo Italian Market, Hamilton Jewelers, the Ivy Inn, Jammin’ Crepes, La Jolie Salon & Spa, Lindt, Main Street Bistro and Café, Monday Morning Flowers, Olives, PNC Bank, Princeton Printers, The Orvis Company, Road ID, Princeton University Store, Small World Coffee, Smith’s Ace Hardware, Tico’s Eatery & Juice Bar, Triumph Brewing Company, and the Whole Earth Center.