Isa Cruz

Each year, Bowdoin students, faculty and Brunswick community members gather for the annual Thanksgiving meal, a beloved Bowdoin tradition. The lavish feast serves as a final gathering for students before they depart for the Thanksgiving break.

Held the Thursday before the actual holiday, both dining halls open their doors to roughly 1,800 students each year. In order to feed the large crowd, Bowdoin Dining prepares thousands of pounds of autumnal delights. In 2022, Bowdoin Dining served 1,576 pounds of turkey, 30 gallons of gravy, 164 pounds of ham, 700 pounds of mashed potatoes and 252 pies. Seventy-two workers helped to ensure a successful meal between the two dining halls.

Thorne Hall typically attracts the larger crowd of students, with the beginning of the line forming in the early afternoon and typically extending out the door and along Jewett Hall. Diners can expect to wait up to an hour at peak times. Those looking for a calmer experience typically opt for Moulton Union, which provides a quieter but equally as delicious meal.

The line at Thorne began to form this year at around 12:30 p.m., just before the end of lunch service. Abdullah Hashimi ’27 was the first person to join the line.

“It was very interesting,” Hashimi said. “I got there very early, and then slowly but surely, everyone trickled in behind me, and I was solely enclosed into the semicircle by the door with everyone surrounding me. It was a lot.… I consider every single second that I spent in that line worth it.”

However, he wasn’t alone for long as two other students joined quickly after.

Students often hold spots in line for extracurricular groups and sports teams, including Maggie Zeiger ’28.

“I am currently holding down a spot for the women’s squash team. The underclassmen will be here until 4 p.m., when the rest of the team gets here,” Zeiger said. “It’s been nice. I should have brought a chair. I’m definitely an amateur—next year, I’ll be ready.”

With doors opening at 4:45 p.m., the Thorne lobby was filled with students with lawn chairs, games and laptops to do homework. Dining also provided refreshments, including hot chocolate, for students waiting outside.

Some Bowdoin and Brunswick community members also frequent the Thanksgiving feast, joining in the line with the students.

Alicia Scott, a Bowdoin College Concert Band member since 2011, described her first time at the Thorne Thanksgiving meal.

“This is the first year I’m coming to this line early,” Scott said. “I’ve always been going to Moulton. Last year, I tried coming to Thorne; I got here at like 4 [p.m.], and the line was insane, and somebody said, ‘Just come over to Moulton.’”

Scott noted the difference in dining experience between the halls.

“[I am] very excited to see how they decorate and all the additional foods they might serve compared to Moulton,” Scott said.

Returning menu items included traditional roast turkey, Maine cider glazed baked ham, baked Maine butternut squash, candied sweet potatoes and oatmeal molasses pan rolls. The spread also included a turkey carved into a block of cheese, assorted charcuterie and salads. For dessert, diners could choose between assorted pies and fruit crisps.

For another year, Bowdoin Dining has upheld the reputation of the Thanksgiving meal, drawing students and community members alike to wait in line for hours.

Abdullah Hashimi ’27 is a member of the Bowdoin Orient.