The Soup (Seinfeld)

"The Soup" is the 93rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode for the 6th season. It aired on November 10, 1994.

Plot

George is flirting with Kelly (Tracy Kolis), a waitress from Monk's Cafe. Elaine just returned from a trip to England with Mr. Pitt; she met a man who is flying over with Elaine's frequent flier miles. Kenny Bania (Steve Hytner), an obnoxious comedian, offers Jerry a brand new Armani suit for free.

After his kidney stone ("The Gymnast"), Kramer decides to dump his refrigerator to eat only fresh foods. Bania delivers the suit but he insists Jerry should buy him a meal in exchange.

Simon, the Englishman, has arrived but he is being arrogant with Elaine while in a taxicab. Kelly, the waitress, and George go for a walk. George mentions how he likes the word "manure", and immediately after, Kelly makes a casual remark revealing that she has a boyfriend. Later, at Jerry's apartment, he and George speculate on the theory that she made that up to avoid George and whether or not the manure comment that George made had anything to do with it.

Kramer goes to Jerry's apartment for food, not for himself, but for his hungry girlfriend Hildy who is a waitress at Reggie's. At Mendy's restaurant Jerry is ready to eat dinner with Bania, but Bania only orders a soup, which, he says, cannot count as the "meal".

Simon is acting rude with Elaine and he doesn't seem to have plans to return to England. He turns out to be a real "bounder". George is feeling uncomfortable in Monk's with Kelly around, because the playful banter that he enjoyed with her before he asked her out has been replaced on her part with a cold formality that borders on rudeness. Kenny Bania joins George and Jerry at the coffee shop; this time he orders a soup and sandwich, Jerry believes his obligation is fulfilled, but Bania disagrees as they didn't eat in a fancy restaurant like Mendy's. With information provided by his girlfriend Hildy, Kramer informs George that Kelly doesn't have a boyfriend so she did invent the story earlier.

In order to get rid of Bania, Jerry offers the Armani suit to Simon, who willingly accepts it. George is still uncomfortable at Monk's and he badgers Jerry and Elaine to go to Reggie's, where Hildy works. However, when Hildy takes their order, they are informed that Reggie's doesn't offer the meals they have grown accustomed to at Monk's; i.e. Jerry's egg white omelette and Elaine's Big Salad. When they try to place them as special orders, Hildy gives them a hassle, leaving them frustrated, unsatisfied, and consequently, angry at George.

At his apartment, Jerry is out of food for Kramer's hungry girlfriend. Kramer is terrified as a result. Hildy is in a bad mood because she got fired after Kramer made too many calls to her workplace, so George decides to try the same trick with Kelly.

Back at Monk's, Kelly informs she isn't going to work there anymore. Kelly's boss, fed up with calls, says he will treat George as his "hand puppet". Bania attempts to reclaim the suit from Jerry. Simon, who has just flirted with a woman in front of Elaine, has a job interview thanks to the suit Jerry gave him, and he decides he might stay longer in the country. Elaine tells Bania where his suit is, and a heated Bania rushes outside the restaurant to confront the unsuspecting Simon. Jerry and Elaine, enjoying their egg-white omelette and Big Salad, salute each other in triumph.

The last shot of the episode is George eating by himself at Reggie's.

Episode Notes

• This is the first appearance of Kenny Bania.
• After George's "day date" with Kelly, Jerry & George are in Monk's and George orders chili, but Kelly brings him tomato soup instead, which George eats without mention that he in fact ordered chili.
• The closing scene with George eating at Reggie's will again appear in season 7's The Pool Guy, when George is again forced to eat at Reggie's because his "worlds keep colliding". Reggie's is later revealed to be the Bizarro Monk's in The Bizarro Jerry.
• Tracy Kolis, who plays Kelly the waitress, previously played George's ex-girlfriend and Jerry's girlfriend, Marlene, in Season 2's "The Ex-Girlfriend".
• George's reuse of his "manure" comment is later well received on his walking date with Marisa Tomei in season 7's The Cadillac.

At the end of the episode, when Jerry is served his egg white omelette, you can see that the omlette has a yellow color suggesting that it contains one or more yolks.