Bennys — At the Jersey Shore

Bennies Visit the Jersey Shore

Fair Rate Funding is proudly located on the Jersey shore in central New Jersey. Yes, central Jersey is a thing. What is also a “thing” is locals referring to visiting vacationers as “Bennies” or “Bennys”. Because we are in the middle of the summer, and also located “down the shore”, we investigate the origins of the term “bennys”, why it is used and discuss different interpretations of the phrase.

Bennys at the Beach

Simply put, “benny” is a pejorative term used by Jersey Shore locals describing beach goers who visit New Jersey beaches in the summer. Used primarily in Monmouth and Ocean County, bennys refer to vacationers who visit Jersey beaches in the Summer. Their presence annoys locals for a variety of reasons.

First, most bennies travel from northern New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area. Although train services via New Jersey Transit is available from these areas, many tourists simply make the 1–2 hour drive down the Garden State Parkway to the beach. This results in an increase in traffic down the shore and accompanying frustration on the roadways. Since the infrastructure is limited to North, South and West, the area simply does not handle the additional traffic all too well — a source of contention among locals.

Second, this massive influx of visitors can create a bit of a mess. This is especially true on holiday weekends such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Some…