As commuters flow in and out of the Hudson Yards 7 subway stop today, a new kiosk awaits them alongside the regularly-appearing food carts, big and blue and Barilla-branded, offering passers-by a “ticket to togetherness” with a free box of spaghetti in celebration of World Pasta Day. One could read the slogan conceptually (another says “togetherness is just a box away”), as a reminder of how much bonding with friends and family is done over meals. But the pasta maker is taking an even more active role in setting the stage for such moments, as each box of pasta comes with a complementary subway ride – just scan the box at the turnstile like you would a single-ride ticket, and off you go. Barilla hopes straphangers will use the ride to “share a meal with loved ones” who might be “only a few stops away.”
One could be forgiven for picking up the free box of spaghetti, taking their complementary ride straight home, and scarfing down the whole thing with butter and cheese in front of their latest streaming obsession, with their phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode. This kind of self-indulgence has staked its claim in our culture, and most people have probably dabbled in it at some point. That said, Barilla‘s call for “togetherness” is resonating with commuters interviewed by La Voce. “I saw the message that they’re bringing people together,” says CK on his way into the station. “I love that, we should do that more.” He comes from a large Afro-Latino family, and looks forward to the upcoming holidays as they’ll be reuniting and, most significantly, sharing meals together. CK says his family goes through a lot of pasta, and that he values how gathering at the table can melt away whatever stresses may have piled on during the day: “even if you’re not eating, you sit and you have a conversation.”
If you’re thinking that perhaps Italians might scoff at Barilla’s endeavor as kitsch or opportunistic, you’d be surprised, as they find a great deal to be proud of when it comes to pasta and Barilla’s project here today. “In Italy, pasta is a cornerstone of culture and sentimentality, it contributes to national unity,” says Martina, here on a 5-day trip with her husband and friends, who hail from all over the boot, from Milan to Puglia. “Wherever you are in Italy, being together, as a family or with friends, often happens over a plate of pasta.”
Another friend in the group, Fabio, travels a lot for work, and sees the value in Barilla’s message, saying it reminds him of how he “savor[s] it that much more when [he] can get together with the wife and kids, with friends.” Beyond just the joys of pasta generally, Fabio has a soft spot for Barilla in particular and their messaging over the years: “I remember a Barilla TV commercial from the 80s that said ‘Dove c’è Barilla c’è casa’ (“Home is where Barilla is”) – seeing this stand here today, it took me back 30 years.”
Asked what their favorite pastas were, they all picked Roman dishes: pasta all’Amatriciana, Carbonara, and Gricia. When I mentioned my Bolognese roots, they threw me a bone: “a nice ragù bolognese hits the spot too.”
