We live in the Flint area and have eaten at Blackstone many times over the years. Unfortunately,…read moreafter today, we will not be returning, and I cannot recommend this restaurant based primarily on how we were treated by the owner and staff.
We had a $25 Blackstone gift card that we received a few years ago. I completely understand that we should have used it sooner, but we simply didn't have it with us on previous visits. Today, we presented it and were told it would not be honored because, according to the waitress, the restaurant had changed ownership.
I asked to speak with the owner because I wanted to have a reasonable conversation and find a fair solution. The restaurant is still Blackstone, at the same address, and operating continuously under the same name. I also explained my understanding that federal law provides protections for gift-card holders and asked him to at least see whether the card could be verified or processed. The card has a scan strip and serial number, and we even had the original receipt showing the $25 balance. His response was that he had no way to scan it and that it was the previous owner's responsibility. I asked him to try or find another way to verify it, but he refused.
What really bothered me wasn't the $25. It was the complete unwillingness to even attempt to find a reasonable solution. Instead, the conversation became increasingly defensive and confrontational. At one point, he told me that he was a small-business owner who was struggling and couldn't be expected to take responsibility for someone else's obligation. I explained that I am also a small business owner and understand the challenges, but I also believe that taking care of customers and doing what is right matters.
He then told me, specifically, that he DOES NOT care about his customers or their reviews. That's a pretty shocking thing to hear from a business owner.
Eventually, after the argument, he yelled that he would give us the $25 off. But by that point, it felt less like an attempt to resolve the situation and more like something he was throwing at us after attacking us for even asking. Then, immediately afterward, our server made a sarcastic comment along the lines of, "So can I get $25 off too? Can I give everyone $25 off?" It was condescending and made us feel like we were somehow unreasonable for expecting a gift card to be honored.
The owner then stormed off with the card. That he kept. We ultimately paid our bill in full with cash and left a fair tip. We did not accept the $25 discount because, at that point, accepting it didn't feel like the right way to resolve the situation. As we left, we told the owner we had paid our bill in full and wished him a good day. His response was a sarcastic "thank you."
And that's really the disappointing part. $25 should never be worth losing a customer over. There were countless ways this could have been handled professionally. He could have tried to verify the card, offered a reasonable compromise, or simply had a respectful conversation with us. Instead, he chose to become confrontational and make us feel like we were the problem for asking a reasonable question.
As for the food, it was a mixed experience. My date had the chicken club sandwich and said it was just "meh." It had very little meat on it. I had the ribs, which I thought were good I'd give them about 3.5 stars. The dry rub was good, and I ordered the sauce on the side, although the small dipping container provided wasn't nearly enough for the full order. Overall, I'd put the food somewhere around 2 stars.
We sat outside, which I actually enjoyed because Back to the Bricks was going on and I like being able to watch the cars. There was a band playing inside, and it was extremely loud. If you're looking for a dinner where you can actually have a conversation, I'd recommend sitting outside.
Unfortunately, the food isn't what will keep me from coming back. The owner and staff are the reason. I'd give the customer service experience zero stars.
One other thing I find confusing: the owner repeatedly emphasized that this is a "different company" because ownership changed. Yet the restaurant is still operating under the same name, at the same address, and the online review history appears to continue as though it is the same establishment. If the new ownership truly considers this an entirely different company, I would think creating a new business presence and review page would make that distinction much clearer.
I'm generally a very reasonable customer. I wasn't asking for anything outrageous. I simply wanted a $25 gift card addressed to the restaurant to be acknowledged and, at the very least, for someone to make a good faith effort to determine whether it could be honored.
Instead, I left feeling attacked for even asking.
Blackstone has lost me as a customer. We won't be back, and based on our experience today, I cannot recommend it.
