May we bring in our own food or drink?
We do not allow outside food. Since we are a restaurant and BYOB, so you may bring in beer and wine only and only when ordering food. Liquor laws are very strict in this regard. Hard liquor is strictly prohibited. Leave outside or we will hold until you leave if brought onto the premises. We also must ID and will ban anyone from the facility caught with a fake ID or for any reason trying to skirt our strict BYOB rules.
Can we bring in our own cake and decorations?
If you'd like to bring in a cake, you must have a room rental in order to do so. Please call our events department for room availability.
Batting Cages - Spikes?
Absolutely no spikes of any type are permitted. Anyone wearing spikes will be responsible for damages.
Sorry, but leave your cute pets at home
We all love pets but only Service dogs are allowed in food service facilities subject to these conditions by the New Jersey LAD:
- You must keep the dog in your custody at all times.
- You can be required to pay for any damage your dog causes.
Under the ADA, your service animal can be excluded from a public accommodation if "it poses a direct threat to health and safety. For example if your dog is aggressively barking at other people, the facility can kick the dog out".
Why do I have to wear bowling shoes?
Bowling shoes have special soles that allow you to slide. The appropriate footwear also keeps our approach area in good condition.
What else can our group do other than bowl?
Ah, now that’s right up our alley! (yes pun). We have a fantastic Eats menu in our restaurant (BYOB). We have the best batting cages in the world (in our opinion) complete with Hit-Cams for each cage. We have a great arcade and a really cool Mission Impossible-styled Laser Maze! We also have a vintage phone booth from the 1940s that really works! Make a call for free on us!
Do you rent out the entire facility for massive groups?
Yes, we do. Consult with our Party Reservations Office for more details on your special event.
Do you offer discounts for large groups?
Of course!
We are interested in a large group gathering – do you offer this?
Yes, we do, and in our appropriately named Gathering Room. We have room for 80-100 at our banquet-style tables but can handle larger groups as well using additional space. 200-300? no problem! Our Executive Chef and team are experienced in banquet operations and we get rave reviews for our food!
Can we just reserve a room for our business meeting?
Yes of course. Our Gathering Room has a state-of-the-art huge video screen, HD projector, and crystal clear audio with HDMI and ethernet and laptop/computer connectivity. We are business savvy! Choose from a light menu or an entire buffet prepared by our Executive Chef and our team.
Do you validate parking?
No silly because parking is free. It’s Paramus, New Jersey. Welcome to the ‘burbs.
What weight bowling ball should I be using and what size finger holes?
The general rule of thumb is 1/10th of your body weight. So a child who weighs 80 lbs. should try an 8 lb. ball. An adult female who weighs 125 should try a 12 lb. bowling ball, and so on. You can check your finger hole size at our Special “Fitting Ball” located in the queue line at the front desk. It even has the key to the color ball you need once you walk into our beautiful bowling room.
How much does a bowling pin weigh?
Most bowling pins are 3 lbs. 6 oz.
How far apart are the bowling pins?
Although they appear closer, pins are placed 12 inches apart from center to center.
How often do you condition the lanes?
We condition our lanes three times weekly depending on use. Humdingers conditions lanes for league bowlers usually conditioning just before leagues start bowling. We always try our best to provide excellent scoring conditions for all our players.
Does Humdingers have leagues?
Humdingers is a recreational bowling center, meaning it is not for the hardcore league bowler unless they are here with their friends or family having fun. We offer good fun and have the SPARK bowling option. However, we occasionally have a fun league during the year in the fall/winter/spring, which usually bowls on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. Humdingers does not run the leagues, these leagues are privately run.
Why are the lanes so slippery?
If you have ever gone over the foul line, you know that the lanes can be slippery. That is because centers apply a conditioner to keep the lanes protected and to allow proper ball reaction on the lane. Safety dictates that you never cross over the foul line to prevent injury. Our lanes are equipped with a foul line warning buzzer that goes off as soon as the line is passed to remind you of this.
How many games can we bowl in an hour?
One game can average about 10 minutes per player depending on the time between bowlers. The average bowler at Humdingers takes about 15-20 minutes to bowl one game. That is why we recommend the following amount of time per bowler. 1-2 Bowlers-we recommend purchasing an hour. 3-4 bowlers we recommend an hour to an hour and a half depending on age. For 5-6+ bowlers we recommend an hour and a half – 2 hours per lane.
How old do you need to be to bowl?
If the child can handle rolling a bowling ball down the lane or a bowling ramp, they can bowl! We have children as young as 3 years old bowl at our centers.