What It Was Like to Hang Out at the Mall in the ’90s

Before smartphones and online shopping became popular, the mall was the place to hang out on Saturday afternoons in the 1990s.

It wasn’t just a place to buy things; it was our social hub. We made friends, experienced our first crushes, and got a taste of independence there.

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Growing up, the mall was the place to be. My parents would give me and my friends twenty bucks and just… let us go! We’d wander around for hours, totally independent. I remember spending ages flipping through CDs at Sam Goody, checking out the sparkly hair accessories at Claire’s, dreaming over everything at Limited Too, and always cracking up while browsing through Spencer’s. Those were the days!

I remember when my friends and I would always head to Claire’s after school. We’d spend hours looking at all the fun stuff – butterfly clips were a must-have, and mood rings were so cool! Some of us even got our ears pierced there – it was a big deal!

The stores were fun, but the food court was where everyone really hung out. It was a place to meet friends, catch up on news, and watch people go by – kind of like a supercharged school cafeteria. Just thinking about it brings back the smell of those Auntie Anne’s pretzels!

The mall was a really unique place to be in the 1990s. Let’s reminisce about what made spending afternoons there so great.

What It Was Like to Hang Out at the Mall in the ’90s

We’d Meet Up With Friends

Before cell phones, we’d simply meet up with friends by the escalators and then explore without needing our parents’ permission.

We’d Get Our Ears Pierced

Do you remember visiting Claire’s for butterfly clips and mood rings? Getting your ears pierced there was a big deal back then!

We’d Carry Bags to Look Cool

The more bags the better to really look the part of a shopaholic.

We’d Look for Weird Stuff at Spencer’s

We’d giggle our way through the scandalous aisles, and maybe grab a lava lamp.

Auntie Anne’s Aroma Surrounded Us

The air smelled wonderfully of warm, salty pretzels – it was impossible to resist! Especially the pretzel bites with cheese; they were the best part.

We’d Test All the Perfume

Victoria Secret’s Love Spell was the scent of the decade.

We’d Flip Through CDs

Britney, Backstreet Boys, a one hit wonder band with a random name…Sam Goody had it all.

Get a Slice of Sbarro

We’d use some of our cash to grab a slice from Sbarro.

Have Photo Ops with Friends

Whether it was silly photos in a booth or more posed pictures, the mall was where we always took pictures with friends to put in our lockers.

It’s disheartening to see how many once-bustling shopping areas are now quiet and filled with empty storefronts.

It’s amazing how many places we remember fondly from the past. Who else misses hanging out at all those popular spots in the food court?

How Many of These Iconic Mall Food Court Restaurants Do You Remember?

Auntie Anne’s

A trip to the food court isn’t complete without stopping by Auntie Anne’s. Starting as a single stand at a Pennsylvania farmer’s market in 1988, the popular pretzel chain has grown to over 1200 locations, and you can still find many of them in malls and airports today.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A first became popular in shopping mall food courts, where many people tried their now-famous chicken sandwich for the first time. Recently, the company closed its original location, which opened in Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall in 1967 and had been serving customers ever since.

Morrison’s Cafeteria

Everyone enjoys an unlimited meal! Morrison’s Cafeteria was a popular chain of restaurants in southern shopping malls, but it was bought out by Picadilly in the late 1980s.

KaramelKorn

KaramelKorn was a popular popcorn chain known for its unique sweet and savory flavor combinations. Interestingly, despite the correct spelling being KaramelKorn, many locations still operate today with the slightly altered name, KaramelCorn – a common case of the Mandela Effect.

Sarku

There’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of chicken and rice, and Sarku Japan continues to be a popular choice for shoppers at food courts nationwide.

Wetzel’s Pretzels

Everyone loves a comforting treat, and Wetzel’s Pretzels has been bringing that joy to people since 1994. Today, you can find over 340 Wetzel’s Pretzels locations around the globe.

Mrs. Field’s Cookies

Mrs. Fields attracts customers with the delicious smell of warm, freshly baked cookies. The company started with a single store in Palo Alto, California, in 1977, and has since grown to over 250 franchise stores around the world.

Panda Express

Craving orange chicken and egg rolls? You’re in luck! Panda Express first opened its doors in 1983 in Glendale, California, and for the past forty years, it’s been a popular choice for shoppers looking for a quick and tasty meal across the country.

Piccadilly

Despite closing some restaurants recently, Picadilly Cafeterias remains popular with a dedicated customer base. You can still find them in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Orange Julius

Orange Julius is considered the original smoothie, first created in 1923. It became widely popular through franchising in the 1970s and 80s, and was later bought by Dairy Queen in 1987. Today, you can still find Orange Julius at over 5,000 locations around the world.

Manchu Wok

Manchu Wok, a popular Chinese fast-food chain, began in Canada in 1980. Today, you can still find it in shopping malls across the United States and at U.S. military bases around the world.

Hot Dog on a Stick

Hot Dog on a Stick first started in 1943 and now has over 35 restaurants in shopping malls throughout the United States. Popular items on their menu include corn dogs, funnel cake fries, and fresh lemonade.

Subway

Before Subway became famous for its five-dollar footlong sandwiches, the chain was a common sight in American shopping malls.

Great American Cookies

You might know them now as Great American Cookies, but many people remember asking their parents for a trip to Great American Cookie Co. at the mall to get a cookie cake for their birthday.

Dippin Dots

Many people first tried Dippin’ Dots, famously known as “the ice cream of the future,” at mall food court kiosks. These small, frozen treats provided a unique and fun twist on traditional ice cream.

The Cheesecake Factory

If you’re looking for a more upscale meal, many Cheesecake Factory restaurants across the U.S. still offer that experience, and you can often find them in shopping malls.

California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is available at many food courts and airports throughout the US. Interestingly, the very first CPK opened in Beverly Hills back in 1985.

Häagen-Dazs

One or two scoops? That’s the question Häagen-Dazs posed when it first opened in the Bronx in 1960, offering just three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. It quickly became popular and expanded from that single store to over 900 franchise locations around the world.

Jamba Juice

You can still find Jamba Juice – now often just called ‘Jamba’ – in food courts at malls across the US, serving smoothies, juices, and other drinks.

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs

Feeling hungry after walking around the mall? A quick stop at Nathan’s in the food court was always a good solution. Today, Nathan’s Famous still has over 190 restaurants open.

Charley’s Cheesesteaks

Charley’s has many locations in food courts, offering delicious sandwiches, fries, milkshakes, and other treats.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s has numerous restaurants inside shopping mall food courts, offering customers a convenient place to grab a bite, like a side of fries with their meal.

Sbarro

The aroma of warm pizza and garlic knots always drew crowds to Sbarro’s, a popular food court choice. Even today, Sbarro’s remains successful with over 600 restaurants in 28 countries, and you’ll still find many of them in shopping malls.

Cinnabon

Cinnabon is a famously popular bakery, even appearing in the TV show Breaking Bad. They’re best known for their delicious and generously sized cinnamon rolls that always draw customers in.

WOAH: 99 Signs You Were a Teenager in the ’90s

You Were Kicked Off the Internet Because Your Parents Needed to Use the Phone

Was there anything more embarrassing than being kicked off AOL chat because Mom needed to use the phone line for a doctor’s appointment? It was truly awful.

You Daydreamed About Ordering from the dELIA*s Catalog

If you loved ’90s fashion, you probably obsessed over the dELIA*s catalog. Now the brand is back, meaning you can finally buy all those crop tops your parents didn’t let you have when you were younger!

You Had a Crush on Fox Mulder or Dana Scully

Why not both? These two special agents will always have a special place in our hearts.

You Religiously Tuned In to ‘TRL’

Carson Daly hosted Total Request Live (or TRL, as many remember it) on MTV, counting down the most popular music videos each day. For those who didn’t grow up with it, MTV used to be a channel dedicated to playing music videos!

You Fell Asleep With the TV On and Woke Up to a Time-Life Infomercial for the Greatest Love Songs of All Time

As a total music lover, I’m getting major feels from these lyrics! It really hits you when you hear those classic lines about love and devotion. And the idea of having all the greatest love songs together in one collection? Seriously, that’s a dream come true for anyone who appreciates a beautiful melody and heartfelt lyrics. It just reminds me how powerful music can be!

You Owned a Pair of JNCOs

JNCO jeans were famous for their extremely baggy legs. They were so wide, they almost looked like denim skirts, but that didn’t stop people from loving them – especially on skater and alternative rock musicians.

You Traveled the Oregon Trail

TBH dying of dysentery sounds better than a lifetime of student loan payments.

Your Rich Bestie Had Her Own Landline

Having a dedicated phone line just for your kids was the ultimate status symbol. It meant your parents could afford two phone lines – a real extravagance! It was like saying, “We’re loaded!” even when times were tough.

No Friday Was Complete Without a Trip to Blockbuster

Do you remember the smell of movie theaters – that mix of plastic and popcorn? Seeing this classic logo instantly brings back memories of arguing with friends over which VHS tape to rent for the weekend.

You Read Excessively for the Book-It Rewards

Pizza Hut had a really clever promotion back in the day. If you read and reported on a few books, you got a free personal pan pizza! It feels like that was a reward many of us received just for trying – kind of like a participation trophy for our generation.

You Never Left Home Without Your Discman

The Discman was a must-have, particularly for family vacations. Instead of listening to your dad’s music, you could play the newest album from No Doubt!

You Know All the Words to the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Theme

IN WEST PHILADELPHIA, BORN AND RAISED…

You Didn’t Get a Cellphone Until College

If you recall the days of using pay phones while traveling, it might be time to consider adding retinol to your skincare.

You LIVED for Weekends at the Mall

Want to hang out with your friends and explore the mall? Definitely! And don’t forget to grab a bite to eat at the food court while you’re there.

You Used *69 to Bust Someone Who Pranked You

You probably thought you were being clever asking for ‘Seymour Butts,’ but thanks to caller ID, we can now easily call you back for pulling that prank.

You Used a Beeper

Whether you called it a pager or a beeper, if someone ‘hit you with a 143,’ you still needed a regular phone to get in touch with them.

You Believe ABC Peaked with its TGIF Lineup

Did you grow up watching shows like Perfect Strangers, Full House, Family Matters, and Step By Step? ABC had an incredible lineup of classic sitcoms – a truly unbeatable combination!

You Heard Your Dad Cuss Programming the VCR

For those born before the digital age, a VCR was similar to today’s DVR. It allowed you to record shows from regular TV onto VHS tapes for later viewing. But setting it up to record was incredibly complicated – it often took a lot of patience and technical skill, leading to some frustrated outbursts from dads!

You Ordered 21649762 CDs from Columbia House for a Penny

Rest in peace, King. Columbia House made it possible for anyone to feel like a serious music lover. Their subscription service delivered CDs right to your door, and surprisingly, it’s still available today if you’re looking for DVDs!

You Owned One of These Like CD Binder Things

Back in the day, how cool you were often depended on the size and quality of your CD collection.

You Remember a Time Before Call Waiting

Remember when you’d try to call a friend and just get a busy signal all night? That was a common frustration for people our age before call waiting was invented.

You Made a Mixtape

Mixtapes were the original playlists, and creating one was a real labor of love. It meant carefully choosing songs, thinking about the lyrics, and making sure the flow was just right. Receiving a mixtape was a special feeling—it was a clear sign that someone cared about you.

Your Mixtape Included Songs You Recorded Off the Radio

How else could you afford every Mazzy Star single on a Clinton-era allowance?

You Saw ‘Titanic’ in Theaters

And if you were a real one, you bought a VHS copy the day it was released.

Your Parents Owned Marlboro Merch

For a while, cigarette companies used to reward customers with branded merchandise. If you’re interested in collecting these retro items, they’re now available for purchase on eBay.

You Knew What Was Up When the Teacher Rolled This Bad Boy Into Class

There was nothing quite like the sound of the AV cart rolling into the classroom—it meant a relaxed day was ahead! We especially loved learning about rainforests by watching the movie Ferngully. We were totally in!

You Bought Accessories at Spencer’s Gifts

All the baddies hit up Spencer’s Gifts for necklaces, t-shirts, and… um… glass vases.

No Holiday is Complete Without ‘Home Alone’ References

KEEP THE CHANGE, YOU FILTHY ANIMAL.

You Still Crave Square Pizza

FYI: You can buy square pizza on amazon. What a time to have expendable income!

You Were Team Brandy or Team Monica

🎵 the boy is miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine 🎵

‘Scream’ Lowkey Gave You Nightmares

Was Skeet Ulrich hot? Yes. Did that make up for seeing Drew Barrymore getting GOT? No.

You Stayed Up Late to Watch ‘Space Ghost Coast to Coast’

This whacky show ushered in the age of Adult Swim. Space Ghost walked so Rick and Morty could run.

You Printed Directions on Mapquest

Remember when we used to carve directions onto clay tablets? Thankfully, we have Google Maps now!

You Tried to Watch a Scrambled Premium Cable Channel

NO, MOM. I AM NOT TRYING TO WATCH SKINEMAX RIGHT NOW. PLEASE GET OUT OF MY ROOM.

You LOVED ‘Clueless’

Looking back, it was definitely strange to date my stepbrother, even if he was Paul Rudd. Seriously!

You Felt Personally Victimized By the Staff at Abercrombie & Fitch

Seriously? You only have these cargo shorts in sizes XXS and XS for men? That’s… great. I’m definitely not upset about this at all. I, Quasimodo, will just go find them somewhere else, maybe at the circus tent store.

You Owned the ‘Romeo + Juliet’ Soundtrack

And you still listen to it because it’s BANGERS ALL THE WAY DOWN.

You Had a Favorite Boy Band

Backstreet Boys or *NSYNC?

You ‘Still Know What You Did Last Summer’

Honestly: kudos to this horror trilogy for teaching us to NEVER get involved in a hit-and-run.

You Wanted to Visit the Nickelodeon Studios

Picture this: you’re at a taping of Legends of the Hidden Temple, watching someone tackle the Aggro Crag, and then you get to meet Marc Summers, the host of Double Dare, all while enjoying Ecto-Coolers and Fruit By the Foot. You’d feel absolutely incredible – like you could do anything!

You Long for the ‘Must See TV’ Lineup

Seinfeld, Friends, AND er on one night? NBC was in its legendary era with these Thursday night titans.

Mark Wahlberg Gave You Extremely Unrealistic Expectations About Roller Coasters

IYKYK

Your Teacher Stopped Class to Watch the O.J. Verdict

“If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

You Can Still Smell the Classic Country Apple

Bath & Body Works started with a small collection of fragrances, and Country Apple was definitely the most popular and sweetest one.

You Lined Up Outside the Record Store on Release Day

Want to impress your friends and seem really cool? Back in the day, you had to be one of the first to get a copy of OK Computer, which meant going to the record store the day it came out.

You Still Know All the ‘Bye Bye Bye’ Choreography

*NSYNC had some slick moves, y’all.

You Can Parallel Park Without a Backup Camera

And you HAD to be able to do so to get your driver’s license.

You Became Obsessed with Black Eyeliner After Watching ‘The Craft’

Okay, so I’ve heard about this game called ‘Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board’ and it’s seriously creepy! Basically, you and some friends lie down and try to lift each other with just a chant. The idea is someone gets super light, like a feather, and then totally rigid, like a board. It’s supposed to be a way to maybe… connect with something else? Honestly, it sounds a little spooky, and I’ve seen videos where it actually works, and it’s wild! People say it’s a classic sleepover game, but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to try it!

No Outfit Was Complete Without a Spritz of Your Signature Scent

And it was either GAP Dream, cK one, or Tommy Girl.

You Wanted to Climb the Aggro Crag

As a lifelong movie and TV fan, I have to give a huge thanks to Nickelodeon! They somehow convinced a whole generation of us – who were probably perfectly happy being couch potatoes – to suddenly be interested in crazy athletic challenges. And honestly, GUTS was just legendary. It was must-see TV!

You Knew What a VJ Was

Bonus points if you know who this dude is.

You Made DIY Jorts

When ’90s kids needed shorts, they made their own.

You Had a Crush on Kurt Loder

Read those headlines, News Daddy.

Your Dream Dude Was a Combo of the ‘Friends’ Guys

He needed to be romantic like Ross, funny like Chandler, and as hot and gullible as Joey.

You Went to a Youth Group Lock-In

If your church was really hip, y’all had this lock-in at the local skating rink.

You Spent Your Sick Days With One Man

Missed school? You know you were watching The Price is Right with your host, Bob Barker.

You Filled Up Your Tank For Under $15

Remember when your parents gave you twenty dollars to get gas, and you actually had money left over after filling up? Just confirming that really happened!

Y2K Terrified Your Parents

Looking back, it’s funny, but even out in the quiet suburbs, nobody escaped the Y2K panic. I remember my own parents, normally so practical, filling up the garage with extra batteries – a ‘just in case’ precaution that felt oddly serious at the time.

You Put Sun-In On Your Hair Before Hitting the Beach

You used to spend a lot of time tanning, covering yourself in oil to get really dark. Looking back now, you wish you’d been more careful, especially knowing how costly it is to get sun damage treated with lasers!

You Remember When You Could ‘Super Size’ Your Order

Remember when McDonald’s had Super Size options? It was amazing to be able to order huge portions of fries whenever you craved them. Many people still aren’t happy with Morgan Spurlock for what they see as the reason those bigger sizes were discontinued.

You Had a Crush on a Hot Topic Employee

Does anyone remember that cashier who looked just like a budget version of Trent Reznor? I wonder what happened to him. (Just curious, a friend asked.)

You Went Rollerblading

The thought of doing so now fills you with moderate to severe lower back pain.

You Occasionally Feel Like ‘Chicken Tonight’

Chicken Tonight was essentially pre-made pasta sauce – either marinara or alfredo – served with chicken that was often cooked for too long. While we can’t exactly recreate those carefree days now, we’ll always remember the catchy commercial jingle.

You Drank Crystal Pepsi

It was essentially a Pepsi without the caramel coloring, but people were incredibly excited to try Crystal Pepsi and its unique, clear appearance.

You Wanted to Be Cool Like Daria

Daria Morgendorffer was seriously sarcastic – like, a master of it! And her friend Jane? Total style icon. Speaking of Jane, her brother Trent was… well, let’s just say a lot of people had a crush on him. Is that weird? Seriously, is it?

You Owned a Clear Telephone

This phone was incredibly popular with teenage girls in the 1990s. It felt like you automatically got one as soon as you started buying feminine hygiene products – it just seemed to appear as if by magic!

You Were SO HYPED to Get Online

Remember chat rooms? Remember “You’ve got mail?”

You Drank Fruitopia

And you thought it was HEALTHY. 😂

You LOVED Hamburger Helper

Seeing Mom bust out a skillet and a stroganoff box? That’s when you knew dinner was about to be 🔥🔥🔥

You Can Still Do the Macarena

It was a song. It was a dance. It was literally EVERYWHERE in the mid-’90s.

You Never Missed ‘Saturday Night Live’

For many, Saturday nights were all about watching Saturday Night Live, thanks to its hilarious sketches and unforgettable characters like Matt Foley, the Roxbury guys, and Mary Katherine Gallagher.

You Subscribed to Teen Magazines

You spent hours taking those fun personality quizzes and collecting pictures of celebrities like Joshua Jackson to decorate your locker.

Kurt Loder Broke the Biggest News to You

Many people first heard about the deaths of Tupac, Biggie, and Kurt Cobain through the interruptions on MTV – often referred to as Kurt’s break-ins.

You Still Think Trent Reznor is Hot

He went from emo boy to like the hottest dad in car rider line but it is WORKING for him.

You Know That ‘Teen Spirit’ Was More Than a Metaphor

It was an actual deodorant.

Your Idea of Skincare was Noxzema

It was like part cleanser, part mask–and it made your face feel like it just smoked a Newport.

You LIVED for Teen Flicks Like ’10 Things I Hate About You’

Teen movies were incredibly popular in the 1990s, and films like 10 Things I Hate About You, starring heartthrobs like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Heath Ledger, were a must-see with your friends at the cinema.

You Know What This Is

If your car only had a cassette player, you’d use an adapter like this to play your favorite music on trips.

You Used a Clear Backpack

After the school shooting in Columbine, Colorado, many U.S. high schools began requiring students to carry clear backpacks as a way to improve safety.

You Owned a CD Single

Sometimes you just couldn’t wait until an album dropped to be able to hear your favorite song.

You Remember When Rich Kids Got TiVo

TiVo was a pioneer in DVR technology. It’s amazing to think that something we now consider standard was once a luxury only the wealthy could afford.

Jennifer Coolidge Will Always Be ‘Stifler’s Mom’ To You

Before becoming famous for her role as Tanya in The White Lotus, Jennifer Coolidge was already well-known as the iconic, attractive mom in the American Pie movies.

You Wanted to Be as Bad as Buffy

Sarah Michelle Gellar was ✨literally✨ slaying, y’all.

You Never Missed an Episode of ‘The Simpsons’

FOX Sunday nights were IT. You got a new episode of The Simpsons AND the X-Files.

You Remember When Taco Bell Peaked

Encharitos, Choco Tacos, and burritos you could buy with just a little pocket change… those were simpler times!

You Owned a Hypercolor T-Shirt

They changed color in the sun. 🤯🤯🤯🤯

You Had a Crush on Jaleel White

The actor best known as Steve Urkel from Family Matters reinvented himself as the cool and confident Rizz King Stefan Urkelle, and fans loved the transformation.

Your Charcuterie Obsession Began Here

Does anyone else remember the Deluxe Lunchables? They were the premium version – a step up for those who wanted something a little nicer. Instead of the usual round slices, you got bigger, oval-shaped meats, plus two types of crackers, and a surprisingly good dill dip. It was basically the fanciest lunchbox option you could get.

You Bought Items Off the Dollar Menu

The old ‘Dollar Menu’ had items costing just one dollar or less – it’s crazy when you consider a single McChicken now feels like it costs a fortune! That’s inflation for you, isn’t it?

Two Words: Mall Madness

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, you probably know Mall Madness! It was basically Monopoly, but themed around shopping and for a totally rad crowd. Seriously, it was a classic.

This Movie Emotionally Scarred You

WHERE ARE HIS GLASSES?

THOMAS J. CAN’T SEE WITHOUT HIS GLASSES.

You Developed Film

Do you remember film cameras? And taking your rolls of film to places like Walgreens to get developed, especially after events like prom? It’s funny to think about now, because if you tried to explain it to a kid today, they’d probably imagine you were getting an old-fashioned photograph made, like from the Civil War era.