 "Photo: Courtesy of Kathryn Kummer")
When sophomore Kathryn Kummer walked into Little Caesars Pizza on East Delaware Avenue last winter, she did not expect to find females grinding on the counter. But as she and her friends stepped inside the restaurant at 2 a.m., three girls were dancing to Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack."
They were awarded free pizza.
"All of our guy friends were like, 'We want free pizza. Get up there,' " Kummer said. She asked a worker if she and another girl could also get free pizza for dancing. He said "yes," so they climbed on the counter.
"It's not like it involved any striptease," she said. "We were both in long-sleeved shirts. It's not something you wouldn't do at the party before."
This late-night dance fest is not an unusual activity at the Little Caesars near campus. Students hear by word of mouth that they can dance there for free pizza.
While many customers find the deal humorous and entertaining, others see it as sexist. The university's chapter of the National Organization for Women Campus Action Network is currently drafting a letter of complaint to the restaurant.
Little Caesars owner Clif D'Mello, who declined to comment in person, stated in an e-mail message that he does not promote any dancing at the store.
"We believe we are one big family and we let everyone who comes to our store have fun and have a good time as long as they respect our property at the store," D'Mello said. "We have gained a lot of trust from the college kids and we have got ourselves acquainted with most of them on a first-name basis."
When asked to clarify whether or not his Little Caesars gives away free pizza to dancing customers, D'Mello stated in a second e-mail message that "college students come to my store and do whatever they want and have fun. I think that includes both boys and girls."
Junior Stephanie Patterson, a member of NOW-CAN, said she danced on the counter one time, but quickly stopped. She said guys were staring at her and one was scoring each girl's dance moves.
"It sounds like fun at first, but it ends up feeling pretty degrading," Patterson said.
She said dancing at a private party is much different than being on public display at a restaurant.
"It's like 'Girls Gone Wild,' " Patterson said. "It's the same kind of transaction a prostitute would go through - booty for dough. It's always the women, too, you never see any men up there. They don't need to be sexual objects because that's how the women are expected to act."
Sophomore Sarah Harper, who has worked at Little Caesars for two years, said, at first, only girls danced on the counter but now guys dance up there as well. She said as more students heard about the dancing, the establishment started handing out fewer free pizzas.
"We do still give slices occasionally," Harper said. "The dancing's not really gross or disgusting. Nobody takes their clothes off or anything. They're up there for 45 seconds, tops."
While Harper said slices are still handed out, other students, such as Kummer, said they have received entire pizza pies.
D'Mello declined to comment on the amount of pizza possibly given away because he said he did not feel it was "relevant."
Senior Elizabeth Kowell said some of her friends have suggested dancing at Little Caesars for free pizza, but she has always rejected the idea.
"I feel like if I walked in there and saw some girl doing it, I'd think, 'You need to have some self-respect,' " Kowell said. "The pizza's only $5 anyway."
Jessica Schiffman, assistant director of the women's studies department, stated in an e-mail message that women in that situation could convince themselves that their actions are not self-degrading.
"The women themselves might argue that 'it's all in fun' or that they do feel in control or powerful when they are admired by others," Schiffman said. "We might still say that women's fun and sense of power in presenting their bodies for visual consumption is reliant on male approval."
Sophomore Kelly Muldoon said she walked into Little Caesars last Friday and saw four or five intoxicated girls on the tables dancing. She took pictures of them but said they did not seem to care at the time.
"Guys were flocking in to watch," Muldoon said. "It wasn't too complicated. It was just like a peep show, I guess."
She said a few guys even joined the girls on the tables. Muldoon left before she saw whether any of them received free pizza.
Junior Marcus Adams said he would not have a problem with a girl friend dancing at Little Caesars, as long as she was not acting inappropriately.
"It's her choice if she wants to do it," Adams said. "I don't really find dancing vulgar or anything absurd like that."
He said he would love to get on the table and dance himself.
"Just like a musician plays their instrument for money, if you can dance, go for it," Adams said.
Kummer said she and her friend felt comfortable dancing on the counter and thought the situation was funny.
"I don't see anything wrong with it," she said. "I mean, it's free pizza. Who says 'no' to free food?"
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