When the Lights Go Out, Two Exchange Pizza Places Put Their Competition Aside

Left, Col. Robert Grainger of the 18th Civil Engineer Group and Exchange Pacific Region Commander Col. Scott Maskery recognize Darryl Cole, Fumiya Oshiro and Morishige Ganeko. Associate Noriko Maezato is not pictured.

KADENA AB, Japan – Food court associates joined together late into the night of July 22 in true family serving family fashion when a main power grid suffered an unexpected power outage on Okinawa’s Kadena AB, shutting down four major Exchange restaurants, including Pizza Hut delivery.

Around 6 p.m., the power went out at Popeyes, Baskin-Robins/Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway, the coffee shop and Olympic Mall Express, but the crew from Anthony’s Pizza in another building not affected by the power outage stepped right up to help.

Three Anthony’s Pizza associates, who were scheduled to end their shifts at 10 p.m., kept the restaurant open and delivered until 1 a.m. right after an urgent call for help from Pizza Hut associates who still had orders to fill and deliver for customers.

“Even though Anthony’s Pizza and Pizza Hut have a famous friendly rivalry, through the Exchange we are all still a team, and we look out for each other,” said Anthony’s Foreman Morishige Ganeko. “We knew that if this had happened to us, Pizza Hut would have done the same thing to help us.”

Staying late, donating pizzas

Food Court Manager Darryl Cole, who had gone home for the day, came back and asked for volunteers to stay later than scheduled. Without hesitation, the three associates, plus Cole, volunteered to stay for as long as they were needed.

“Even though Anthony’s Pizza and Pizza Hut have a famous friendly rivalry, through the Exchange we are all still a team and we look out for each other.”

-Anthony’s Foreman Morishige Ganeko

Cole, Ganeko and associates Fumiya Oshiro and Noriko Maezato donated 20 pizzas and two cases of water and soda to civil engineer airmen who were diligently repairing the power grid. Due to the airmen’s hard work … and the morale booster provided by the Exchange team … the power was restored quickly the next day.

“The story is not just about the associates remaining open at Anthony’s, but it’s also about Anthony’s taking care of the civil engineers who worked around the clock to get our operations back up and running,” Cole said. “When the power went out, the civil engineers worked overnight to resolve this.

“Three major power lines had been damaged and had to be replaced, and that was a big job and a major safety concern.”

The actions of Cole and his team didn’t go unnoticed. Col. Robert Grainger, 18th Civil Engineer Group, recognized them with certificates and commander’s coins, for providing exceptional customer service under stressful circumstances.

Pacific Region Commander, Col. Scott Maskery said, “The fantastic mission partnership between the Kadena Exchange associates and the Airmen who jumped into action so quickly to resolve the power outage truly showed the exceptional customer service and respect each organization has for one another to accomplish the mission on a daily basis.”

Exchange Post Editor Steve Smith contributed to this article.