Macon cafeteria helps usher in new year

Good luck and lots of money–who doesn’t want those type of new beginnings in 2014?

That’s why your mom used to say, “Eat those collard greens!”

41NBC stopped by S&S cafeteria this evening for a hearty meal filled with tradition and hopefully, some good luck.

It’s a meal steamed in tradition.

New Year’s Day ushers in new beginnings for everyone–and for folks at S&S Cafeteria in Macon, it’s about making sure that new leaf turns successfully.

“Many of our customers feel like that it’s just good luck and a southern tradition to have black-eyed peas, collard greens, turnip greens and crackling corn bread,” said Jerry Henderson, General Manager at S&S. “So we’re really just trying to follow that tradition and offer them a place where they can get that type of of food and it’s not really available anywhere else.”

Jerry Henderson is the General Manager at S&S, and he says he was happy to provide the traditional good luck meal for everyone eating.

“We usually have a traditional dinner at home, with peas, black-eyed peas, hog-jowl, collard greens and macaroni and cheese or whatever else we decide to fix,” said Geraldine Ashmon, a patron. “But today we decided to come from Montezuma and come to S&S because the food is delicious.”

“Well it’s got to do with your upbringing,” said Morgan Hide, a patron. “When you’re brought up one way you kind of stick to that way.”

“Why is it so important for you to have the traditional New Year’s meal today? So I can have luck,” said Madalyn Mitchell. “Do you feel like you’re gonna have a lot of money this year–make a lot of money this year because of the collard greens? Well, I don’t get my allowance anymore.”

And whether or not the “green” meal will bring them good fortune in the New Year–these patrons say this hot meal was the perfect way to start off 2014.