The Irish Life Centre - an entrance that looks quite inviting to enter. Shops that looks kinda interesting to shop in. Nice little place to relax in and sit down to have a coffee/tea after a long hard day...NOT. Today I wanted to try somewhere new with my boyfriend so we decided to get a coffee in this place (http://www.yelp.ie/biz_photos/PTaJiMn5GUTVZ_0YRu4SAw?select=OYO8a9i-1KYUWCieonZXEQ) - forget the name, WASN'T O'Brien's but another coffee place that does the usual - scones, pastries, croissants, sandwiches, dinners. Sounds good? Nope.
We walked in, looked at the menu and seen a nice deal saying 'any coffee/tea with *named* pastries - 2.95', grand I'll grab me a coffee and a pastry. While looking amongst the small range of options, an assistant came over and asked if we were ok - fair enough. I said 'we're just trying to make our mind up' and first of all the look on her face was not only arrogant but extremely impatient. I didn't think much of it.
Another assistant took our order and as PLAINLY as we could have said the order, the guy was still confused. At this point you could pretty much guess that these assistants were indeed foreign. We repeated ourselves and then he told us to take a seat and blatantly stared at us as we did so. I looked back and he just gave us this strange look as if to say 'Jesus, its not rocket science', even though I could say the same thing to him. The pastry and the two cups were dumped on our table, a very angry 'here ya go!!' At this moment I was quite frustrated and didn't think it could get worse.
We went to pay and my boyfriend told a pregnant sales assistant our order. The total should have been 4.90 but she charged us 5.90. My boyfriend told her she overcharged us and that it should have been 4.90 altogether (because of the 2.95 pastry deal). She was very outspoken about her position 'you should have told me what pastry you got' and mumbled something under her breathe. I was about to crack and said 'well you should have asked us our order in the first place and taken your time'. I really wanted to call her something but she wasn't worth it. She paid me my ten-cent by AGAIN shoving it on the table. My boyfriend thanked her and I tutted, because I don't think a customer should hand their money over and leave feeling incredibly insulted and we were - to be frank - treated like shit.
Now I will let something blow over if someone is having a genuine stressful day and is just naturally pissy, but every single ONE of the assistants that I approached or who approached me were arrogant and rude. I actually wanted to contact a manager by calling them or emailing them but can't seem to find a number, so I'm afraid this is my best bet.
I will NEVER step foot in that coffee place again, and its gives a bad name to the Irish Life Shopping Mall but unfortunately this incident will prevent me from even going into the centre - as if its not already in trouble. I don't know how people like those have jobs, especially since none of them are Irish and the amount of Irish citizens who are unemployed - its just atrocious and unfair.
If you have a job - do it f&*king right. read more