How a Toms River NJ Sandwich Shop’s Kindness Made Me a Regular

Becoming a Regular at a Jersey Shore Spot

Have you ever had an experience at a local Jersey Shore restaurant or business that was so good that you decided you had to become a regular?

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It's happened to me twice now since moving to Jersey, and I'm always excited when I have an experience like this.

A Welcoming First Experience at the Anchor Inn

The first one was a year or so ago at the Anchor Inn. We had just moved to Ocean Gate, and we were eating there pretty often while we were setting up the house.

After a few visits, not only did the bartenders know us by name, but our drink orders were sitting waiting for us by the time we got to our barstools.

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We've been regulars ever since.

A New Favorite in Downtown Toms River

The second time just happened maybe 15 minutes before writing this article, and the whole experience really put a smile on my face.

There's this small breakfast and sandwich shop off Main Street in Downtown Toms River called Bagel Bistro & Grille.

Their hours are usually pretty regular: 8 AM to 1:30 PM. It's a nice, easy breakfast sandwich spot, and they've got good wraps and sandwiches, too.

Visiting Bagel Bistro & Grille for Lunch

Today, I walked in there to get a turkey and Swiss avocado sandwich to go, and walked in the front door right around 12:30, an hour before this place was supposed to close.

When I walked in, the guy behind the counter was mopping up the floor and said to me that they had to close a little early today to take care of something up in Freehold.

A Small Gesture That Made a Big Impression

I mentioned I was just looking to get a sandwich, so no worries, I'll just go somewhere else. It's a small business, so the last thing I want to do is cause an issue if they're closing.

The guy said 'You know what, if it's a cold sandwich, we can whip that up real quick.'

And boom, five minutes later, I had a delicious sandwich ready to go. It may not seem like a big deal, but that simple act of taking a few extra moments to make an order they didn't have to make made my day, and that's going to be my new regular spot for sandwiches in Toms River.