As the annual Princeton Merchants Association Waiters Race in Palmer Square neared its climatic moment on July 12, Franchesca Rodriguez had her eyes fixed on the three plastic glasses resting on the tray she was balancing palm up with her left hand.
Her other arm slightly extended, her feet moving her toward the finish, one thought was going through her mind, she said afterward.
“I just wanted to make my kids proud,” said the waitress from the Witherspoon Grill after finishing in first place in the women’s bracket of the competition. When it was all over, she and Lucas Freda, a waiter from Nomad Pizza and the men’s winner, slapped hands and received their cash and other prizes.
This was the eighth edition of the contest between waiters from Princeton restaurants, in a friendly competition that alternates between the Princeton Shopping Center and Palmer Square, the venue this year. In all, 16 restaurants were represented by 71 contestants who registered. Racers competed in separate heats, with the top finishers advancing to the championship bracket.
On streets where cars and trucks normally travel, contestants had to carry three glasses of water on a tray around Palmer Square in under four minutes — trying not to spill anything. There were spots on the street of spilled water marking where contestants lost control of their glasses.
John Ryan, a two-time winner who competed again this year, said before he took to the course that one of the keys is to have good endurance in the calves. Dressed in American colonial costume, the bartender at the Yankee Doodle Tap Room was not able to translate his past success into a winning formula this year, however.
Sarah Cannon, a waitress from the same restaurant, was competing in her first race. Even before she got to the starting line, she spilled her water — an indicator of what was to come when she made her walk around Palmer Square.
Cannon said afterward that the competition is “harder than it looks.”
John Floyd, a waiter from the Ivy Inn, said the race is “more strategic than you think.”
The contestants had their supporters urging them on. Jack Morrison, a local restaurateur, watched from the sidelines as the race went by him.
“It’s fantastic,” said Morrison, whose restaurants featured 15 contestants. “It’s always well done.”
Fresh off his victory, Freda said afterward that he felt “pretty confident” entering this year’s race, this being the second time he competed. He said the keys were “staying calm” and “keeping your composure.”
Nomad Pizza featured the top two finishers in the men’s bracket, with Teddy Marttila taking second place.