Latest Altercation with "Joe to Go"

[Wise Old Owl]

Wasn't me.

[Moose2001]

I like your post lion king.You need to give respect to get respect.And if you dont get it,dont go there anymore.Seems pretty simple to me.

That's my experience with Joe as well. I've stopped there on two different thrus and had no bad experience with him nor witnessed any. He makes a great sandwich which in one case I ate outside and the other packed out with me. If more thrus would treat others well, all of us would have less problems!

[JohnWayne]

This thread was started 6/14.

"Somebody" bitched on Yelp 6/17.

The question is which WB member this is.

Yelp review was by Rob B out of Idaho. The dude has 4 other reviews so probably just another bad experience. Someone on WB would have created a new Yelp ID.

Don't rightly see how complaining how you are treated means you're a whiner or ain't a real hiker.

Every daddy or grandpapa out there, you have your little girl asking politely to use the facilities and having the both of you yelled at and told to get out of Dodge and see if you would cotton up to that.

I ain't been in the place and maybe I will and maybe I won't but it's sure good to have a heads up bout what to expect.

[max patch]

Maybe. Maybe not.

Don't know how a guy from Idaho is gonna know that "the cops are called every week".

[Don H]

@Don: Your mother wears army boots. :P

No she don't, she wears Danners!

I heard sometimes Joe runs a special, turkey club sandwich with a free bottle of water, but you have to ask for it

He does mail order too!

[Malto]

Until this thread was revived I didn't realized that I had actually been in this place in late June. It was early morning and I stopped in the get breakfast. I saw the sign for the pack and left it outside as asked. I selected a couple of items and went to counter only to discover they didn't take credit cards and I didn't have any cash. I put the items back, talked to the "grumpy guy" and left. He certainly could have been unfriendly with me given I wasted his time but he was neither overly friendly or unfriendly. Like many others he is probably liked by some, unliked by other, has grumpy days and happy days. I suspect he has had a few less than stellar interactions with hikers (like many in trail towns) and may be a bit too quick to react to hikers.

[WIAPilot]

No she don't, she wears Danners!

I heard sometimes Joe runs a special, turkey club sandwich with a free bottle of water, but you have to ask for it

He does mail order too!

And his mail orders come with recorded messages of "Joe" shouting at ya! He's probably an OK guy - just one you have to be a little careful following his rules. And in that respect, it only helps that WB has passed along what those rules are. Everyone will know his rules upfront and make their own decision whether to stop or not. Probably both Joe and his customers will be a lot happier this way.

[Don H]

I heard someone had left a note on a tree just before Joe's saying "Free water at Joe to Go, ask inside".
No wonder the poor guy is so mean!

[Hairbear]

Dave & Paul, don't you love to hear people say capicola............................elevenola, eleveno, elevenini, elevenolo

lol,,,,,,....

[VigilAuntie]

This topic has been dead for quite a while. I suspect (with one post) that VigilAuntie is a troll just trying to stir the old WB pot. I think everyone should stop at Joe to Goes and find out for themselves instead of debating this endlessly.

Actually, I am a thru-hiker (GA-ME '08). I was working in my garden, and, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I thought about the poor treatment my partner and I received at Joe To Go years earlier. Later, I googled "Joe To Go New Jersey" and found this thread, where I expected that I might encounter friendly folks who had similar experiences. I did not read the entire thread, but I noted that several others had made comments about their own experiences of poor treatment at the hands of "Joe." But thanks so much for calling me a troll. Classy.

During our thru-hike, my partner and I stopped at Joe To Go for breakfast. We had heard of "Joe's" bad behavior, but we were on our best behavior and expected no problems. We left our packs outside, and we did not stink. We're a couple of middle-aged women with excellent hygiene, who often heard people say, "You're thru-hikers? But you don't stink??" While I was innocently waiting for our order, which had been placed, my partner went to the restroom. To the best of my recollection, it was not behind the counter, it was in the public area. The reason she felt free to enter was that another patron entered, used, and exited the restroom, which was marked "office." (My partner thought that "office" was a joke.) "Joe" watched her enter and said nothing. I should have suspected that something was up because even though I was next in line, our order was not being prepared and no one was ringing me up. When my partner exited the restroom, Joe berated her in front of the several other patrons and threw us both out of our ears. My partner is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but "Joe" refused to accept her very sincere apologies. We were both dumbfounded. In hindsight, I wish I had been an ass, because, in my opinion, that is exactly what this guy deserved. But frankly we were just too stunned to respond. We are not trouble makers, and we have never encountered this type of treatment before or since.

For the record, I am not trying to persuade anyone not to patronize this business. If this is your scene, go for it. You might get lucky. Some other hikers that we were with got served without incident. Just don't break any of the unwritten rules - and hope that no one in your party does either. I joined in the conversation imagining that I might commiserate with my fellow hikers. If yours is the type of greeting I can expect at White Blaze, then you are not the kind of people with whom I wish associate.

[Driver8]

For the record, I am not trying to persuade anyone not to patronize this business. If this is your scene, go for it. You might get lucky. Some other hikers that we were with got served without incident. Just don't break any of the unwritten rules - and hope that no one in your party does either. I joined in the conversation imagining that I might commiserate with my fellow hikers. If yours is the type of greeting I can expect at White Blaze, then you are not the kind of people with whom I wish associate.

There's a mix of people here, VA, some friendly, some closer to Joe. Lots of smart, helpful hikers and a good community, though sometimes there is crossfire. Welcome! _

[ChinMusic]

I joined in the conversation imagining that I might commiserate with my fellow hikers. If yours is the type of greeting I can expect at White Blaze, then you are not the kind of people with whom I wish associate.

Your first post on WB included the following:

Is it wrong to say that I hoped Joe was dead by now?

And you have the nerve to lecture others on civility?

[HikerMom58]

Actually, I am a thru-hiker (GA-ME '08). I was working in my garden, and, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I thought about the poor treatment my partner and I received at Joe To Go years earlier. Later, I googled "Joe To Go New Jersey" and found this thread, where I expected that I might encounter friendly folks who had similar experiences. I did not read the entire thread, but I noted that several others had made comments about their own experiences of poor treatment at the hands of "Joe." But thanks so much for calling me a troll. Classy.

During our thru-hike, my partner and I stopped at Joe To Go for breakfast. We had heard of "Joe's" bad behavior, but we were on our best behavior and expected no problems. We left our packs outside, and we did not stink. We're a couple of middle-aged women with excellent hygiene, who often heard people say, "You're thru-hikers? But you don't stink??" While I was innocently waiting for our order, which had been placed, my partner went to the restroom. To the best of my recollection, it was not behind the counter, it was in the public area. The reason she felt free to enter was that another patron entered, used, and exited the restroom, which was marked "office." (My partner thought that "office" was a joke.) "Joe" watched her enter and said nothing. I should have suspected that something was up because even though I was next in line, our order was not being prepared and no one was ringing me up. When my partner exited the restroom, Joe berated her in front of the several other patrons and threw us both out of our ears. My partner is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but "Joe" refused to accept her very sincere apologies. We were both dumbfounded. In hindsight, I wish I had been an ass, because, in my opinion, that is exactly what this guy deserved. But frankly we were just too stunned to respond. We are not trouble makers, and we have never encountered this type of treatment before or since.

For the record, I am not trying to persuade anyone not to patronize this business. If this is your scene, go for it. You might get lucky. Some other hikers that we were with got served without incident. Just don't break any of the unwritten rules - and hope that no one in your party does either. I joined in the conversation imagining that I might commiserate with my fellow hikers. If yours is the type of greeting I can expect at White Blaze, then you are not the kind of people with whom I wish associate.

Hey VigilAuntie...

I remember you from your thru hike in 08. I read your TJ's. I remember you were Certain's friend. Are you still in touch with her? I meet her at Trail Days in 09. Anyway, Driver8 is telling you the truth. You are welcome here. I know you would have a lot of helpful info for other hikers.

[HikerMom58]

Your first post on WB included the following:



And you have the nerve to lecture others on civility?

Chin... the first thing you quoted her on was her reaction to being called a troll... understandable reaction.

the second thing you quoted her on was her reaction to the treatment she and her partner received at Joe's..... you are taking people's comments, without understanding, and shoving them back in their face with a judgemental spin to boot....

[Don H]

I'm sure Larry (owner of Joe's) is enjoying the free publicity.

The bathroom is not in the public space, it is actually behind the counter. Allowing the public to use the bathroom is in violation of the NJ health code.

[John B]

I'm sure Larry (owner of Joe's) is enjoying the free publicity.

The bathroom is not in the public space, it is actually behind the counter. Allowing the public to use the bathroom is in violation of the NJ health code.

Just curious if the NJ health code allows for some members of the public to go behind the counter and use the restroom and not others?

[Lone Wolf]

Just curious if the NJ health code allows for some members of the public to go behind the counter and use the restroom and not others?

it's a locals/regular thing. the pub in hot springs used to charge hikers more for beer than locals.

[Don H]

Nope, he might get a citation if a health inspector saw it.

8:24-6.6 Toilet facilities


(d) When a common toilet is used for employees andpatrons, access shall not be through foodpreparation, food storage and utensils and equipmentwashing areas.

[WingedMonkey]

Actually, I am a thru-hiker (GA-ME '08). But thanks so much for calling me a troll. Classy.

Hope you come back for more. Some people base thier knowledge from reading journals and facebook, some base knowledge from experience.

[Gray Blazer]

Nope, he might get a citation if a health inspector saw it.

8:24-6.6 Toilet facilities


(d) When a common toilet is used for employees andpatrons, access shall not be through foodpreparation, food storage and utensils and equipmentwashing areas.

At that rate, they would have to close down the whole AT.