Very disappointing experience at this Laguna Niguel location...PLEASE READ…read more
I have been a very loyal Parlor Doughnuts customer for quite some time and regularly purchase large orders for company conferences and events.
I normally go to the San Clemente location near my home, and I have always had an excellent experience there. Their customer service has been accommodating, and whenever I've request for each doughnut to be individually boxed, they have happily done so without making it an issue.
Unfortunately, I had a completely different experience this morning, September 24, 2026, at this Laguna Niguel location.
I had an early company conference today, and because the San Clemente location wasn't open yet, I went to Laguna Niguel, which is in the opposite direction from where I was going, and added 15 minutes to my drive, to purchase 9 of their popular French Toast doughnuts.
My order was going to be almost $50 "just for 9 donuts".
I specifically asked whether the 9 doughnuts could be placed in individual boxes rather than one big box.
There was a legitimate reason for this: At our conferences, people have assigned seating, and guests who are not part of our company also attend. Everyone arrives at different times, so I wanted to be able to place one doughnut at each of my employees' assigned seats. I also didn't want to put 9 doughnuts into one large box and then have to handle and redistribute them later. To me, individual boxes are also simply more sanitary and practical in this situation. I also didn't want individual bags because I had several other things to carry, and I was concerned the doughnuts would get crushed.
The employee initially told me that it wouldn't be a problem, but then turned around and asked someone named Jenifer, who I assume was her superior.
Jenifer told me they could not put the doughnuts into individual boxes but could put them into individual bags or one big box.
I asked why, and her response was that the individual boxes cost more money.
This is where I was especially disappointed: I told her that I was willing to pay for the individual boxes myself. I wasn't asking the store to absorb the additional cost. I was simply asking for 9 individual boxes for 9 doughnuts that I was purchasing.
Even after I offered to pay for them to be in individual boxes, Jennifer's response was "it's still a NO".
I was honestly shocked. I'm not asking for something unreasonable or trying to get something for free.
I was purchasing NINE doughnuts for nearly $50, specifically explaining that they were for a company conference, and I was even willing to pay whatever additional packaging cost there might be. Yet the answer was still a "NO" from Jenifer.
I even explained that the San Clemente location has accommodated this exact request for me many times, particularly for my company orders.
Jenifer response was still a "NO".
That response was incredibly disappointing.
If I had walked in and purchased an individual order or 9 separate doughnuts individually, I'm sure each doughnut would ordinarily be placed in its own box if I requested that they not be placed in a bag, so they wouldn't be damaged during transport.
So I genuinely don't understand why purchasing 9 doughnuts together makes the same packaging request unreasonable--especially when I am spending nearly $50 and have explained the reason for the request.
It felt like the focus was on saving a few dollars--or even a few cents--on packaging rather than taking care of a loyal customer making a large purchase who was willing to pay for the packaging herself.
And honestly, from a customer-service standpoint, the whole situation felt almost absurd.
It would be like ordering food at a restaurant to take home and being told, "We can put all your food in one container, but we won't package it individually because the individual packaging costs us more."
That is not the kind of hospitality I expect from a business where customer service should matter.
I ended up canceling my entire order and walking out.
I have never written a Yelp review like this before, but this experience bothered me enough that I felt compelled to say something.
I have been a faithful customer, regularly purchasing large orders for company conferences, and I have never had an issue at San Clemente location for the same request. That location has consistently been accommodating and understands the importance of taking care of customers.
To be clear: This review is specifically about my experience at the Laguna Niguel location and with """ JENIFER """
I really hope Parlor Doughnuts considers training its employees at this location on customer service and, more importantly, on understanding when it makes sense to accommodate a reasonable request from a loyal customer making a large purchase.
I left extremely disappointed and, quite frankly, turned off by the entire experience.
I WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO THE LAGUNA NIGUEL LOCATION AGAIN.
