First off, the positive: the coffee is excellent - the coffee shop definitely uses good beans, and I enjoyed the coffees I've bought there (when not dining in). Although I have to say that the coffee/food is extremely overpriced. 2 pounds 20 pence for a tiny coffee (the small is smaller than a tall at Starbucks) is a bit much, which is why I think the customer service should be excellent (read on for more).
In total, this is the worst coffee shop I've ever been to in London (and probably in all of my travels throughout the world) if you want to dine in and have the coffee at the coffee shop. The owner (a male with funny looking shoes) is one of the rudest and most disrespectful individuals I've ever encountered in a service industry such as coffee shops. He had the audacity to ask his employee (right in front of me) how long I was sitting in the coffee shop for. It is a coffee shop! The whole point is to relax, read, and hang out. He proceeded to pressure me to buy additional things. I'll buy something when I am hungry or thirsty - thank you very much. To justify that I am sitting in his shop and taking space is complete BS when the tiny coffee shop is near empty. Rent is a sunk cost. In fact, marketing professionals would argue that having customers in the shop gives a positive signal to potential customers that the coffee shop is a good place - clearly the owner does not understand this fundamental business concept. He and his colleague are extremely phony and give a "we care about you" vibe to customers, but if you watch them closely, it is not true-spirited. They completely ruined my day as I was in such a bad mood when I left the coffee shop. Sitting in a coffee shop is supposed to be a relaxing experience where you feel inclined to want to come back and feel energized leaving. They completely destroyed that feeling for me.
Anyway, continuing with the experience, after feeling completely devalued as a customer, I then approached the owner about talking to him privately. He then proceeded to tell me to speak to him right there! How is that professional? Why would you do this in front of customers? I voiced my discontent to him, and his response was "don't take it personally. You shouldn't be here for two hours." What kind of response is that TO A CUSTOMER?!? My response to D1 and the owner, go take a business class, bud. You have no idea how to run a business and how important it is to retain customers. Repeat customers is how you improve the overall value of your business - not from the one time coffee drinkers. I drink at least two cups of coffee a day and eat many of my meals at coffee shops. D1 could have earned much more revenue from me as a customer if they only picked their battles and treated me with the respect I deserve as a paying customer. The outcome of this terrible dining situation is that I will never step foot in D1 and if you live in the area, I would say you are making a massive mistake going there because there are plenty of other great coffee shops within walking distance of D1 and have way better customer service.
Overall experience: Absolutely Terrible. Don't go there.
P.S. I am being as objective as possible here. I have no reason to knock this coffee shop other than I feel it is good karma to warn future customers of my experience. Obviously, this is one opinion... read more