Benny (slang)

Benny, is a derogatory term used by residents of Jersey Shore towns for tourists that visit each summer.

Today, however, some locals say that the term stands for the names of the cities that these seasonal visitors hail from: Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York, although this may be a backronym. It has also been said that it stands for "Bastards Exiting Newark and New York", a more derogatory version refering to the commute to the shore of the lower class residents of those two local large cities during the hot months of the summer. Bennys are chiefly responsible for the astronomical rise in property values up and down the Jersey shore, by creating a demand for the limited locations available, and through their penchant for spending all their hard-earned city money at shore locations, usually receiving subpar service and derision in return from the locals.

In England, the term is used to describe a person in a fit of rage or having a tantrum as in "He's having a benny".

Bennys in New Jersey

Typical "benny" behavior is said to include:

Driving carelessly or recklessly, with little regard for local traffic regulations
Boorish, loud conduct in public areas (such as speaking loudly on cell phones and playing loud music)
Going through the exact change lane at the toll bridges - without possessing exact change
Wearing sneakers or socks with sandals on the beach
Wearing no shirt or shoes in local restaurants and stores
Quickly acquiring a full-body sunburn
Littering on the beach
Crowding the stores and restaurants and generally making life difficult for year-round residents.
Asking for change for a dollar in quarters and dimes for use on the parkway tolls.
Having a "farmer's tan" or "t-shirt tan"
Getting in the way of surfers or body boarders in the ocean
Driving the speed limit or slower in the left lane of the parkway

There are a number of anti-Benny phrases around the shore, with the most popular one being "Go home, Bennies!"[1]

The Stereotype

The majority of bennys come from Staten Island and Brooklyn. They tend to have the classic Jersey accent, which is rare at the shore. They are often stereotypical Soprano Italian or Jewish.

Many own real estate at the shore and is their summer home. This is quite apparent in Deal, a Syrian Jewish commmunity whose population shoots up from 1,500 to 6,000 in the summer.

Areas that use Term

Sources