Iconic teen movie director John Hughes followed up Sixteen Candles with The Breakfast Club. A tale of five students undergoing detention on a Saturday, this movie was an immediate sensation for teens and general audiences everywhere. It became regarded as one of the definitive movies of the 80s as it’s easy to relate to the film’s memorable characters. They each get a plethora of memorable lines as they joke, argue, and begin to reveal their true personalities and anxieties. The best Breakfast Club quotes still hit home for many movie fans.
While some of the movie’s humor and cultural references might be a little dated today, the heartfelt sentiments shared between the characters as they bond due to their forced proximity still strike a chord. Whether they’re about self-image, social pressure, or just witty banter, the best Breakfast Club quotes are a timeless reminder of why John Hughes’ writing is held in such high regard and why The Breakfast Club is still a movie that has its scenes recreated for a parody or homage even today.
18 “Well Brian, This Is A Very Nutritious Lunch. All The Food Groups Are Represented. Did Your Mom Marry Mr. Rogers?”
John Bender
It’s an iconic scene when the kids all pull out their lunches and the eclectic meals speak volumes about all of their lives and personalities. Claire (Molly Ringwald) has her perfectly arranged sushi, Andrew (Emilio Estevez) is eating like he’s training for a triathlon, Allison (Ally Sheedy) constructs a fascinatingly gross sandwich out of what appears to be Pixy Stix and cereal, and Bender (Judd Nelson) decides to eat with Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) as he hasn’t brought any food, resulting in this brilliant Breakfast Club quote as he critiques Brian’s wholesome lunch.
17 “I See Me, And I Don’t Like What I See, I Really Don’t.”
Brian Johnson
It doesn’t take long into their day of Saturday detention for the group to start spilling their deepest secrets to one another. Their insecurities and their fears are all laid out on the table despite them all thinking that they’ll never talk to one another after detention is over. In this Breakfast Club quote, Brian admits that he doesn’t like what he sees when he looks in the mirror. Brian’s struggle with self-esteem and satisfaction is one anyone can relate to on some level, which is a part of what’s made the movie’s appeal so enduring.
16 “You Do Everything Everyone Tells You To, And That Is The Problem.”
Allison Reynolds
Allison hits the nail on the head when it comes to the more popular people in the school. They are yes-people, not thinking for themselves, but quickly succumbing to the effects of peer pressure. It’s the pressure that sees both Claire and Andrew eventually break down during the day. Allison, on the other hand, does what she wants, or tries to. Allison points out that doing exactly what other people want is a problem. She might lie once in a while to get reactions out of people, but Allison is more in tune with who she wants to be and who she really is than anyone else in the room.
15 “Does Barry Manilow Know That You Raid His Wardrobe?”
John Bender
With this line, the audience knew exactly what they were getting from John Bender. He wasted no time in insulting Mr. Vernon (Paul Gleason) as soon as detention begins. The reference might be a bit dated for teens watching the movie today if they’re not familiar with the singer, but his particular style would have been fresh in the minds of 80s audiences. It’s clearly meant to be an insult, despite contention from Manilow fans.
14 “Don’t Mess With The Bull, Young Man. You’ll Get The Horns.”
Richard Vernon
This is such a great and weird saying for an authority figure to use when they believe they’re above reproach and just don’t have time to deal with any kids challenging them. That’s exactly the kind of figure Vernon presented in the movie. So focused on wielding his own power over the students, Vernon can’t deal with the fact that Bender, or any of the kids, would question him at all. This is one Breakfast Club quote that’s been repeated often in movies and television series since, mostly sarcastically.
13 “Two Hits. Me Hitting You. You Hitting The Floor.”
Andrew Clark
This Breakfast Club quote comes from Andrew early on in the movie when he’s really aggressive towards Bender and his whole attitude. He never fully drops his criticisms of Bender, but his opinion does clearly soften by the end of the movie. This is partly because Andrew gets in touch with the fact that his aggression stems from a desire to gain approval from his father, and this line smartly sounds like something Andrew heard someone else say, maybe even his own father, and then repeated in order to put up his tough-guy facade.
12 “Could You Describe The Ruckus, Sir?”
Brian Johnson
This particular question was a fan favorite for the audience members who identified with The Breakfast Club’s Brian. He was the kind of kid who always did what he was told and pushed himself to be the perfect student. The line was innocent enough to come across as helpful, but it hinted at the guy who wanted to climb outside of the box society put him in. When Vernon returned to the library and said he “heard a ruckus,” it was early enough in the movie that any of the kids could have given each other up, but they didn’t. Even Brian kept his head with a smart comeback.
11 “I Don’t Have To Run Away And Live In The Street. I Can Run Away And Go To The Ocean, I Can Go To The Country, I Can Go To The Mountains.”
Allison Reynolds
Bender was the character labeled as the rebel, but maybe Allison should have been. She ended up as “the basket case” because she said outlandish things that surprised people, tended to have sticky fingers, and didn’t conform to anyone’s idea of what a teenage girl should be. While all the characters get the chance to voice their unhappiness, Allison was the one character who actually seemed like she was ready to leave her hometown behind and go somewhere where she could just be herself. A lot of teenagers and adults have identified with that aspect of her character over the years.
10 “It Is Now 7:06. You Have Exactly 8 Hours And 54 Minutes To Think About Why You Are Here – To Ponder The Error Of Your Ways.”
Richard Vernon
Assistant Principal Richard Vernon gave the perfect start for a quiet Saturday of detention for five students with unclear crimes. With his full authority and obvious skepticism about the character of the kids from different cliques, he gave out the ultimate goal of the detention – a self-evaluation essay. It establishes his character really well, not just the premise of the movie, and it’s become one of the most memorable Breakfast Club quotes as a result.
9 “I Hate It. I Hate Having To Go Along With Everything My Friends Say.”
Claire Standish
The gang shares their hidden sentiments beneath their stereotypical traits. Claire confesses that she constantly has to succumb to peer pressure. When Brian brought up how the five will go on being friends after their detention, Claire says that she doesn’t believe that will happen. When Brian suspected her of being conceited, Claire revealed, “I hate having to go along with everything my friends say,” before she goes on with a tirade about feeling peer pressure. The line speaks volumes to those who have felt social pressure in their lives before.
8 “You Ought To Spend A Little More Trying To Do Something With Yourself And A Little Less Trying To Impress People.”
Richard Vernon
Principal Vernon may be an oftentimes unjustly harsh authority figure, but he raises good points for the kids. All he is concerned about is the rebellious state of the current generation of children he is overseeing. So it’s understandable why he would use a tough tone towards the gang, particularly towards Bender, when he drops this pearl of wisdom.
7 “You Wanna Know What I Did To Get In Here? Nothing… I Didn’t Have Anything Better To Do.”
Allison Reynolds
This Breakfast Club quote is one of the most surprising. To break the ice from Brian’s dark reveal of why he ended up in detention, Allison shared that she did not have a reason to be there at all. It was a much-needed bit of levity for the gang after a long sharing session wherein each one shared their impressions of themselves and of each other.
6 “I Could Disappear Forever And It Wouldn’t Make Any Difference.”
John Bender
This is a line shared by Andrew earlier and brought up by Bender during their sharing session when he began to berate Claire after her trick of putting on lipstick using her cleavage. Andrew once again began to get aggressive with Bender and his attitude, so the group goes back to arguing again. Bender is clearly a character with a lot of personal issues and an abusive life at home, the way that he acts out and triggers negative behavior in other people, almost on purpose it would seem, all feels very naturalistic. The way that Bender repeats this line really makes it sound like he believes it.
5 “My God, Are We Gonna Be Like Our Parents?”
Andrew Clark
This idea really hit home for Andrew when Bender vented in front of Claire about her spoiled lifestyle before he talked about his father’s treatment of him. It opens them all up to talk about their own parents. Andrew’s parents push him to the limit, Bender’s have been abusive, Claire’s only use her as a tool in their relationship, Allison’s neglect her and Brian’s expect too much from him. They can already see the cycles repeating themselves in their arguments, and the film never sugarcoats the reality that this is often what happens to people.
4 “Screws Fall Out All The Time. The World’s An Imperfect Place.”
John Bender
Bender says this Breakfast Club quote when Vernon confronts him about the main door to the library door being shut. Bender tampered with the door hinges, removing a screw so that it could no longer stay open. It’s a funny line that further showcases Bender’s rebellious spirit, but it’s also a very wise saying that shows the character’s more poetic side.
3 “We’re All Pretty Bizarre. Some Of Us Are Just Better At Hiding It; That’s All.”
Andrew Clark
Andrew says this Breakfast Club quote after an argument between Allison and Claire, and it prompts Claire to respond by questioning him – “How are you bizarre?” While it leads to Andrew sharing his story, the quote by itself is really memorable, and it speaks to people who have experienced trying to be accepted by hiding their eccentricities.
2 “When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies.”
Allison Reynolds
Easily one of the most enduring Breakfast Club quotes and a line that has been largely associated with John Hughes in general, Allison shared this thought after Bender and Claire argued, and Andrew reacted with anxiety that their behavior might mirror that of their parents. Allison reacted with empathy and expressed her own feelings to the club. The line may speak of the reality of growing up, but it touches on the need to live every moment of youth with love and compassion. For that to be uttered by such a quiet character makes it hit home all the harder.
1 “You See Us As You Want To See Us, In The Simplest Terms With The Most Convenient Definitions. But What We Found Out Is That Each One Of Us Is A Brain… And An Athlete… And A Basket Case… A Princess… And A Criminal. Does That Answer Your Question? Sincerely Yours… The Breakfast Club.”
The Breakfast Club
The closing narration of Brian reading the essay is the heaviest part of the movie but also the most uplifting. Not only does it lay into Vernon for his apathy towards the teens, but it also addresses how his harshness towards them is due to him seeing their face value, but not their true colors. Each member of “The Breakfast Club” chimes into Brian’s narration to say the character trait that is associated with them and as Bender pumps his fist into the air, the image freezes, and “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds swells. It’s one of the most iconic movie endings of all time.