The Original Soup Man — a restaurant based on the Soup Kitchen, a soup shop made famous by the "Soup Nazi" episode of "Seinfeld" — has recently opened its newest location in the town of Princeton.
Though the restaurant may have garnered interest at first due to the restaurant's "no soup for you" catchphrase, the new owners of the Princeton branch, Paul and Lisa Ruddy, can attest to the fact that the soup stands on its own.
The Ruddys have tried to stay away from "Seinfeld" references.
However, the restaurant's wall does display a painting of the original Soup Man, Al Yeganeh, and his rules for the restaurant: "For the most efficient and fastest service, THE LINE MUST BE KEPT MOVING! Pick the soup you want! Have your money ready! Move to the EXTREME left after ordering!"
The small restaurant, which opened on Oct. 24 on the corner of Hulfish St. and Palmer Square East, boasts a daily rotating menu of six to eight soups as well as various salads and sandwiches. As Paul was quick to point out, all students get a free drink with their soup.
"It was a perfect fit," Paul said about The Original Soup Man's move to Princeton. "I knew the Soup Man coming to Princeton would be perfect."
The Princeton branch is not only The Original Soup Man's first location outside of the city, but it is also the Ruddys' first time working in the restaurant business.
Prior to his venture into soups, Paul was the owner of a sheet metal business in the Bronx.
While working in the Bronx, he would venture to Soup Kitchen International, the original "Soup Nazi" venue that opened in 1984. "Yeah, I watched "Seinfeld," but I'd been buying soup at the store way before "Seinfeld" made it known," Paul said.
The business has met with great success so far, selling soups to Princeton locals and many University students. Even if "Seinfeld" hadn't picked up on the "Soup Nazi," "I still would have gone," said patron Annie Perini, who works at a store in town.
The store was already a hit even prior to its opening. The Ruddys reportedly sold 90 gallons of soup at Palmer Square's JazzFest in September.
The Princeton branch is the first in what the franchise expects to be a national chain of restaurants with more than a thousand locations in the United States and Canada. Currently, the Soup Man has locations in New York City, South Carolina and Garden City in addition to Princeton.
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