Going home for break brings a multitude of pleasures for college students. The comfort of their own bed, the companionship of their family, the nostalgia of hanging out with high school friends, the simplicity of a home-cooked meal, or the freedom that comes with having absolutely nothing to do for a month. As someone who was proudly born and raised in Cincinnati, there’s one part of home I look forward to more than just about anything else—eating Skyline Chili.
Skyline means Cincinnati, and Cincinnati means Skyline…and to me, they both mean home. The simplicity of their menu brings immediate comfort to anyone who has ever eaten there before. Though they have a variety of menu items outside of their classic choices, for most people, the debate in their minds (and stomachs) is whether they want chili and cheese piled on top of a hot or or a bed of spaghetti. Then the only thing left to decide is if you want fries with that, and if you want chili and or cheese heaped upon your fries as well. There’s an immediate comfort in being able to order so effortlessly, just after the person serving you brings out little bowls of oyster crackers to tide you over. I feel at home when I’m at Skyline.
Chances are, Skyline brings back meaningful memories for plenty of Cincinnatians. I remember the first time I ever had Skyline, in which my picky eating habits regrettably caused me to simply order fries and nothing else. I fondly daydream about the “foggy window” Skyline closest to my house—and distinctly remember going to the one down the road from there just because it was so unusual to pass up the one close by. I remember going to Skyline between baseball games during weekend-long tournaments. I’ll forever recall the blissful synthesis of two Cincinnati favorites, Reds baseball and Skyline, during the Skyline Chili shuffle at baseball games, as the latest Skyline jingle poured through the stadium loudspeakers.
I won’t soon forget the countless number of meals I ate at Skyline with my girlfriend back in the day, and though the memories are priceless, the meal wasn’t—it was $15.18 every single time. A regular 3-Way, fries, and a “Coke…yeah Pepsi’s fine”, as well as a small vegetarian 3 way with water for her. I have found so much comfort in the consistency of Skyline.
Just as much as my stomach yearns to be filled when I think about Skyline, I smile too. As my mouth waters this very moment, I think back to years ago, when Skyline reworked a classic Temptations’ song as their jingle. What can make me feel this way? Skyline, Skyline, Skyline….talkin’ ‘bout Skyline.
