Benny is a derogatory term used by year-round residents of
the Jersey Shore to describe rude, flashy, loud tourists from North Jersey and
New York. Since local residents appreciate the tourists' economic contribution,
the term "Benny" sometimes refers to only those unpleasant tourists
that cut lines, drive recklessly, start fights, park on the wrong side of the
street, harass women, or deliver other disrespect. Benny is actually an acronym
for the tourists' origins of Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York - and
areas around them.
One erroneous definition put forth by some is that it is
short for benefactors for the money they spend at the shore. Most local
residents have never believed this definition. The term 'Shoobie' is used by
residents of resort communities in the southern New Jersey Shore, from Long
Beach Island to Cape May. The term shoobie was originally used to describe
day-trippers who took the train to the shore. The train offered pre-packed
lunches that came in shoe boxes; hence the term "shoobie." However,
over time the meaning has changed to include tourists that wear sneakers or
shoes on the beach, as opposed to most locals who go barefoot on the sand.
