A Wedding Story
Tonight I had one of the most wonderful experiences of hospitality and customer service I have ever had, perhaps in my life. It all started when we began the drive from Point Pleasant, where we had just finished the rehearsal for my daughter's wedding. We were headed to the place in Brick that we had recommended for the out of town groom's parents to arrange the rehearsal dinner. As we were driving, the sky opened up, pelting the area with driving rain and giant hale stones. The already terrible Brick traffic was snarled as the roads flooded. Tornado like winds ripped through Brick and the whole town, as far as we knew, was in darkness, including the traffic lights that under normal circumstances kept the cars crawling through town.
As we were battling this weather to get to the rehearsal dinner spot, the cell phone rings. My daughter is on the phone speaking to her mother who is next to me. I only hear the mother of bride's side of the conversation, but I pick up real quickly that disaster has struck the evening's plans. The place we were headed to was in darkness with the rest of the town. Forty guests are at the spot and have just been told that the event cant' happen because there is no power and they have no idea when the lights will come back on. The bride to be has just informed her mother that we have to come up with plan B and do so quickly. My reflex reaction is "call Jule's". Even though we have only eaten there a few times in the past year, some how I knew from the great service we experienced that Barbara, the owner of Jule's, might be able to pull off a save.
a save. In less than a half hour, Barbara had called in extra staff, gotten their private party room ready, and were in the kitchen cooking up a beautiful buffet of their famous antipasto salad, penne vodka, chicken marsala, meatballs and sausage with peppers. The quality and care of each dish were remarkable. What a wonderful restaurant and what a fantastic business person. If I were in the position to hand out rewards, I would give Jule's Italian Restaurant of Toms River, and Barbara a medal for Epic Hospitality and Customer Service. I shall be spending a lot more time at Jule's this coming year.
