Charlie Brown holiday specials bring comfort and joy to the season. While watching the characters in the short movies, there is one question viewers may not have wondered but need the answer to: Which dining location does each of them represent? Excluding Munchie Marts, each location has a distinct personality that can be attributed to one of the famous characters.
Charlie Brown: Commons
Charlie Brown consistently finds himself underappreciated and treated unfairly. In “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” he chooses the small, overlooked tree out of a belief in what it can become. Similarly, Commons looks after the first-years from their first day on campus, dedicating itself to their well-being with unique options like Oatly ice cream. To the same tune as Charlie Brown, that commitment leaves the dining hall greatly underrated as it delivers a strong sense of community like the one Charlie Brown attempts to create in his Christmas play.
Linus van Pelt: Local Java
Linus is a crucial member of the van Pelt family, just as Local Java is important to the campus’s network of coffee shops. Linus often experiences bullying from his popular older sister, Lucy, who seems to be in charge of everything. She makes fun of him for his cherished blanket and talks about her wish to move out. In the same way, Local Java can seem like the little sibling of Suzie’s that people may overlook, especially with its lower value per swipe.
Rerun van Pelt: Carmichael Café
Rerun exists to be another Linus for Lucy to be annoyed by. Rerun, therefore, looks very similar to Linus and has many similar tendencies. His mother also frequently straps him into the back of her bicycle to bring him along everywhere. Carmichael Café is, in many ways, the “rerun” of Local Java, serving almost the exact same menu. Just as Rerun is a smaller version of Linus, most of the food at Carmichael is a smaller version of Local Java’s pastries. Akin to Rerun’s mother carrying him around, the Campus Dining executives frequently observed the operations of the new cafe toward the start of the year, keeping it on a tight leash.
Lucy van Pelt: Suzie’s
Lucy may seem like a bully, but she frequently displays her true heart and fondness for her friends and for Charlie Brown — like when she chooses him to direct the Christmas play. Those sweet moments and her psychiatrist side business mirror the ability of Suzie’s to cheer up students with nice messages. When the line is long and the cafe is busy, the place may feel loud and annoying or brash, but its true care always shines through.
Frieda: Zeppos
Frieda constantly worries about losing the curls in her “naturally” curly hair, leading her to frequently watch herself in a portable mirror and complain at anything that may rid her of the curls. Zeppos similarly fears losing its Kosher distinction leading to its commitment to preventing outside dishware and food from entering. Zeppos does not allow ReusePass and dishes from inside are also not allowed to be taken out of the doors, displaying a similar level of attention as Frieda to her hair.
Sally Brown: Kissam
Sally, frequently seeking attention, seems to get distracted often, and one of her main personality features is asking lots of questions. Also, she can easily turn from bossy to sweet in just a few seconds. Kissam has the same level of questioning as distractions hit. Will you get a mountain of protein or three cubes? Will you have to scan for your food, or is it free this time? Are they going to have what’s listed on the menu, or did they run out?
Peppermint Patty: Rand
Peppermint Patty is a brash, confident character who seems to get her way at every turn. She is loud, busy and highly demanding. Rand, packed with students and loud with its long lines, also demands attention and purpose for those dining there. It may be difficult to get a word in while fighting through the crowd, but at Rand, you know exactly what to expect and seem to have no choice in what you eat as you search for the shortest line, mirroring Peppermint Patty’s assertive nature.
Marcie: Commodore Pizza Kitchen
Commodore Pizza Kitchen is essentially an extension of Rand, just as Marcie is an extension of Peppermint Patty. However, similar to how Marcie can evoke the more sensible side of Patty, CPK offers a more reasonable line than much of Rand during peak hours. There’s less personality in the CPK location, but the Rand ecosystem would still not survive without it.
Franklin: Wasabi
If you can’t remember who Franklin is, then that is precisely the point. Franklin is an important character in “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” but is often forgotten among the more popular characters. Franklin maintains his relationship with Peppermint Patty through his proximity living in her neighborhood, just as Wasabi is located inside Rand.
Sherman: Rothschild
Shermy’s one line of dialogue in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is complaining that every year he is chosen to play a shepherd in the Christmas play. Seeking a change, he is stuck with the same role for the foreseeable future. Just like Shermy, Rothschild finds itself serving almost the same food for every meal of every day.
Schroeder: EBI
Schroeder, with his Beethoven obsession, is always on his piano and trying to exhibit an air of sophistication. As the only dining hall to use ceramic dishware and its health focus with juice and smoothies, EBI strives for a similar sophisticated appearance. He does not talk much and sometimes is overlooked, but when he is on screen for the best scenes in the holiday specials.
Woodstock: The Pub
Woodstock sometimes seems a little lost, but he always has an entertaining role in the holiday specials. He flies around following Snoopy even as he seems to not have a goal of his own. The Pub is also a seemingly lost dining location. Serving tasty food but struggling to find its identity between a dining hall and a sit-down restaurant, The Pub, like Woodstock, seems to need some guidance.
Snoopy: VandyBlenz
Snoopy can do anything. In Charlie Brown’s Christmas play, he proves he can act as any animal Lucy names. He also displays proficiency in flying fighter jet dog houses and can even be a convincing Santa. In the same way, VandyBlenz offers some of the most customizable food available on campus. Some people may hate it, as Lucy hates Snoopy, but many see it as a versatile option open at convenient hours for a bowl.
