At Cherry Hill diner, waitress gets a helping of praise

When Joan Browning, 74, started her shift at 6 a.m. Wednesday, the last thing she expected to see was the mayor of Cherry Hill with a proclamation for her.

"I was just shocked," Browning said later that morning from behind a well-kept counter at Ponzio's, the restaurant where she has worked since February 1966.

About five months ago, the landmark diner's owners, John Giambanis and brothers Nick and John Fifis, decided to put up banners and bus stop posters in the township to celebrate Browning's 50th anniversary as a waitress at Ponzio's - almost as long as the diner has been where Routes 70 and 41 meet.

Mayor Chuck Cahn said he wanted to take the celebration a step further, so he proclaimed April 20 "Joan Browning Day" in honor of the dedicated service that she has provided to the residents of the township.

The veteran waitress, Cahn's proclamation read, is the "Queen of the Counter, forming a warm bond with her customers."

Browning said she didn't see what the big deal was, and that she has only done her job.

"I love my job. I love the people that come here," she said between serving patrons as the lunch rush started.

Browning, a Cherry Hill resident who has three children and seven grandchildren, has more regular customers than she can count.

Sid Melnik, 81, sits in the same seat at the counter daily and calls Browning an "advocate for the customer."

"She knows exactly what I want every day of the week," Melnik said.

Melnik praised Browning's ability to remember every detail about how he likes his meals, whether it's how he wants his rye bread toasted or what he likes to accompany his omelet.

Alan Rosenberg, a Cherry Hill lawyer who sits at Browning's counter three or four times a week, described her as a "modest, humble, down-to-earth person."

"She's always a step ahead as a server," Rosenberg said. "And I hope she continues for another 50 years."

Michael Wagner, 69, of Philadelphia, has been a regular at Ponzio's almost as long as Browning's been there. He refers to himself as "the president of Joan's fan club."

"She makes my day. She makes me feel happy," Wagner said with a smile. "Joanie's the best."

Wagner said Browning's impeccable and friendly service always keeps him coming back to Ponzio's.

"The older you get, you really appreciate the people who treat you right," Wagner said as he flipped through a newspaper, which Browning provided free. Every morning before her shift, Browning buys multiple copies of newspapers based on the preferences of her regular customers.

Wendy DeFrancisco, a manager at Ponzio's, commended Browning for her work ethic and said she "always wants to be there for the customers no matter what."

"She doesn't care if she's waited on you for 20 years or one day," DeFrancisco, 45, said. "Every person is made to feel like this is their home."

DeFrancisco's son, Chris, 20, now a bartender at Ponzio's, began working there about five years ago. He said he's learned a lot from Browning about what it takes to build and maintain a customer following.

"She's an awesome mentor to have," he said, glancing at Browning as she worked at the other end of the diner. "Right now, her counter's full. She must be doing something right."

Browning said her style of service goes back to the lesson she learned when she first started the job - the customer is always right.

"Whatever they want, we do," Browning said. "I guess my people are spoiled, but they keep coming back."

856-779-3882

jmcguire@phillynews.com

@**jnmcg4