-- Extremely disappointing experience from a longtime customer…read more
My wife and I have been going to Ola Boba since they opened, and we've always enjoyed their boba and the friendly service. Unfortunately, our most recent visit was extremely disappointing, both in terms of quality and customer service.
Both boba drinks were very flat, excessively icy, and lacked their usual flavor and creamy consistency. Something was noticeably off with the balance of ingredients, whether it was the milk, sweetness, or preparation. Even the tapioca pearls tasted unusually plain, without the sweetness we've consistently experienced here over the years.
We brought this to the employee's attention and asked whether the drinks could be remade or corrected. The original drinks were taken back, but what we received afterward was hardly an improvement. I'm not sure exactly what was done, but the drinks now tasted excessively sweet rather than having their usual balanced flavor.
The presentation was equally disappointing. The cups were messy, liquid was dripping down the sides, whipped cream was smeared around, and the plastic dome lids were dented and pushed inward. The drinks looked crushed and carelessly handled, especially considering they had already been returned once because of quality concerns.
Unfortunately, the customer service made the experience even worse. The employee assisting us came across as rude and dismissive, which was particularly disappointing because the staff here have typically been welcoming and friendly.
While my wife and I were seated inside the restaurant, facing toward the parking lot, apparently the employee called our name to let us know our drinks were ready, but we didn't hear her. Rather than approaching our table to notify us, she walked away and left the drinks sitting there. It wasn't until another server, who appeared to work for the adjoining restaurant rather than Ola Boba, came over and informed us that our drinks were ready.
At that point, after already having the drinks returned for correction once, we weren't going to ask for a third attempt. We simply took them and left.
What makes this especially unacceptable is that we paid almost $15 for just two boba drinks. That's not an insignificant amount of money, especially in this economy, when people are being more mindful of how they spend their hard-earned money. At that price, expecting drinks that are properly prepared, taste the way they're supposed to, and are presented professionally is not asking too much. Instead, we paid nearly $15 for two disappointing drinks, an unsuccessful attempt to fix them, and an unpleasant customer service experience. That's simply not acceptable.
We understand that Ola Boba is temporarily serving its drinks out of the neighboring restaurant, and we have no issue with that arrangement. However, operating from a different location shouldn't result in such a noticeable decline in the quality, preparation, presentation, and service that longtime customers have come to expect.
This was a one-star experience across the board: disappointing drink quality, an unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem, unacceptable presentation, poor value for nearly $15, and customer service that fell far below what we've experienced here over the years.
It's especially frustrating because we know how good their boba normally is. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and restores the quality and welcoming service that made us regular customers in the first place.
I'm open to updating this review based on future experiences and genuine improvements.