Fazoli's — Restaurant in Bowling Green

One week ago, on the very first day of the new year, my children and I were out shopping and had decided to stop for lunch. My kids wanted to go to "the tomato" as they call it. So when we left Walmart, I headed for Fazolis. It was already looking pretty nasty out, but we went in and ordered anyway. The sky was getting darker very quickly. The manager, John, came out to the dining room and began addressing everyone. He stated that Bowling Green was under a tornado warning and that it had touched down and was headed our way. He advised us all to stay in the building and to seek shelter immediately by going into the restaurants walk in cooler/freezer. He said to go through the metal door and straight into the back into the walk-in. It was a little chaotic, kids crying, people panicking. But he kept his composure. He had to have experience dealing with emergency situations because he was just so calm. He was able to inform us of what was happening and what we needed to do to stay safe. He was able to instruct his team on what they needed to do to make sure everybody was safe. But it's what I saw when everybody was being led to the walk-in that really amazed me. His team was on the other side of the metal door to lead people the rest of the way into the walk-in... But John, he was holding the door open for people to run in from outside, in the middle of a tornado. He was fighting hard to keep that door open. He had himself braced holding it open, but it wasn't fear that I saw on that man's face. It was concern. It was determination. He cared about the lives of all those people with complete disregard for his own life. I am so grateful to John, and his team at the Bowling Green location. They saved our lives that day. I'm honored to have met such a selfless person. And I believe he deserves recognition for what he did that day. That having been said... I want to say thank you, John, for risking your life to make sure my children and...

I met a man today... He looked SO familiar and I couldn't quite figure out where I knew him from. When he introduced himself, I smiled and said I'm not sure where I know you from but you look so familiar.

I visit fazolis at least 2 times a week... If not more. Anything pasta has been my favorite food since I was little. And that's where I had seen this man. Almost every time I went to fazolis, he was the man behind the counters, making my food. Making everybody's food. There were so many times it was just him by himself in that kitchen. And it would be terribly busy. But he was always working so hard.

Anyway, so I was planning on going to fazolis this evening when I got off work, and I said "well I'll see ya tonight when I come get my regular". And then he told me the most devastating thing I've heard probably all year... He no longer works there!! I am truly heartbroken and I've made other dinner plans because I can't bare to go in there and not see his face in that kitchen.

To John Hill, he wanted to be known as The Jigg: You were amazing in that kitchen. You set records. You ran that kitchen by yourself at some of the busiest times. I want to personally thank you for your services at fazolis in bowling green and I also want to thank you for making sure my, as well as everybody else's, food always came out amazing. And I will continue to dine at fazolis in your honor.

When I asked him what his future plans were all he said was "Breadwinners can't slow down".

Thank you for all the delicious food I've had from fazolis, John. You...

Two visits, two strikes…I don’t want to go for a strike three.

I heard the food is really good, so I gave it a try. I placed an order for curbside, showed up at the designated time, sat there for almost 15 minutes, and went inside to see what was going on. Unbeknownst to me, my order was sitting inside for pick up, not the curbside I had ordered. A little perturbed, I grabbed my bag and went home to eat my lunch. The food was good but I’m betting it was even better when it was fresh out of the oven and hot, versus cold. Add in that I did not receive my salad or drink and it made for a pretty bad first impression. I called and they put the salad and drink on some type of IOU that I could pick up at my next order. I can understand something going wrong, so I gave them another chance. Bad choice.

Getting home, after a 5 1/2 hour road trip, I placed the order so that it would be ready for pick up when I got back in town. Again, I got there at the designated time and sat for another 15 minutes. I called this time and I was told that my order would be brought right out to me. Another 23 minutes later I called again and my order came out the door the same time I dialed. The representative said they were not aware of the phone call made 23 minutes earlier and said that as soon as the last phone call came in, she rushed the order out. Unless their oven has a thermostat issue, that order should’ve been hot but it was lukewarm, at best. I was too tired to have to wait any longer, so I took my bag and went home....